Haemophilia (based on It's in the Blood by sakurademonalchemist)
by Quatermass
Summary: Since he was young, Harry was fascinated by blood. After the debacle of his Fourth Year, and being kept in the dark, Harry is taken by the Dursleys to Cheddar, where horrific and bloody events will unfold, leading to Harry joining the Hellsing Organisation...
1. Foreword

**FOREWORD**

A work I eagerly awaited was from the pen (well, keyboard) of the oft-entertaining sakurademonalchemist. Called _It's in the Blood_ , it seemed to be the tale of a dhampir Harry Potter, his life intersecting with the Hellsing Organisation and Alucard. What I read from sakurademonalchemist's collection of sample chapters from impending stories was dark, but intriguing enough that I wanted to read more of the story. Sadly, as shown in notices in a couple of sakurademonalchemist's stories, her laptop was infected with viruses, and the chapters she had originally intended to post were lost. And even more sadly, the laptop has recently proved unsalvageable, along with any chapters on it. _It's in the Blood_ , as sakurademonalchemist originally intended it, may never see the light of day.

However, during correspondence with sakurademonalchemist, I asked whether I might be allowed to adopt _It's in the Blood_ , or at least adopt the initial premise. She gave me permission, though I'm taking concepts from the original, and putting my own story into place. Those who have read the first three chapters (in sakurademonalchemist's _Short Story Drabbles_ , where she puts the initial chapters of potential Harry Potter stories, usually crossovers) will doubtless see both similarities and glaring differences. For example, I'm not writing about the cutting behaviour Harry does in those chapters, and the start of the story will be during the events in Cheddar, with the Dursleys becoming the victims of the homicidal vampire priest rather than Dementors. I may not be doing any bashing like sakurademonalchemist frequently does in her works.

Another thing that might cause controversy is that I am taking many elements of _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_ for this work. That isn't to say this work will be frivolous or frequently comedic, but frankly, I love the Abridged version of Alucard, and Curtis Arnott, aka Takahata101, is to be commended. For those unfamiliar with that, either watch the series, or read the brilliantly funny _Harry Potter and the Endless Night_ by The Sage of Toads. It'll be a blend of canon _Hellsing_ and the Abridged version.

Anyway, time for the usual disclaimers. Firstly, there will be spoilers for Harry Potter and _Hellsing_.

Secondly, there will be annotations. Complaints will **not** be tolerated.

Thirdly, this is an M-rated work, which is far from surprising, given that _Hellsing_ is involved. Violence and horror is a given, and there will be language and disturbing themes.

Finally, the following is a fan-written work. Harry Potter and _Hellsing_ are the property of their respective owners. Please support the official release. Otherwise, Alucard might decide to take an enthusiastic little walk nearby, and you know what happens when he goes for a walk…


	2. Chapter 1: Bloodshed in Cheddar

**CHAPTER 1:**

 **BLOODSHED IN CHEDDAR**

Blood had always fascinated Harry Potter, particularly his own. It was this, amongst other things, that led him to silently agree with the Dursleys' labelling him as a freak, even if he didn't agree with their treatment of him.

There was something about its rich red colour, the consistency, the smell, the way it moved when it emerged from a fresh wound. Morbid preoccupations, true, but they were preoccupations that had ensnared him when he was young. Indeed, he had made a decision at an early age to become a haematologist. Such dreams were shelved, somewhat, when he learned of his magic, and of Hogwarts. He considered becoming a medi-wizard, but wasn't sure. After all, medi-wizards often did their work with spells, not phlebotomy.

They were preoccupations he kept from his friends. Oh, he discussed his dream of becoming a haematologist with Hermione (Ron being rather squicked out at the concept of a Muggle profession involving blood). Given that she was the daughter of two health professionals (admittedly dentists), she could appreciate such a career choice, though she pointed out that he would have to find some way of continuing something of his Muggle education. Thanks to her, he had managed to procure some good texts, including a second hand university-level text on haematology. When asked why by the bushy-haired girl, Harry just said that he found blood interesting. He didn't say how much morbidly so he found it interesting.

He then teased Ron by pointing out that the red stuff that came out of steaks was blood. It was a cruel trick to play, but a funny one. It was actually mostly myoglobin(1), something he told Ron afterwards. Ron had glared once he understood what Harry was talking about, while the twins laughed their heads off. Even Hermione giggled a little. This had been shortly after the First Task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament last year, and Ron had apologised to him. Harry had accepted him back, albeit on sufferance, but had pranked him a few times as penance…well, _payback_ for turning his back on Harry out of jealousy.

Given what they had done during these holidays, Harry wondered whether he should prank Ron some more. Hermione, while her letters (sent through Muggle means) weren't exactly informative, had nonetheless managed to get him copies of _Blood_ and _The British Journal of Haematology(_ _2)_ for his birthday. Ironically, upon seeing those journals in Harry's hands and hearing that he wanted to try and get into haematology if he could, Aunt Petunia seemed to approve, albeit grudgingly.

Of course, now they were in Cheddar, a village in Somerset. One of Vernon Dursley's old schoolmates lived here, and during the summer, he had decided to take his family here. He took Harry mostly because he didn't trust Harry, and didn't want to risk any of his freakishness messing up the house. Harry was generally left to his own devices, and so, he discovered, independently of (but simultaneously with, more or less) his uncle of the rumours about a priest who had recently taken up residence in a formerly dilapidated church. It was said the man rarely ventured out during the day, unless he was wearing a hooded coat with the hood up. The man claimed to have a form of porphyria. There had been a rash of disappearances recently, too, culminating in a youth recently claiming that he had been attacked by said priest.

Harry sighed when he heard these rumours (having gone to the local library to see if there was anything interesting, and having been told by the librarian), as it seemed his luck was about to go down the crapper, once more. It was a hunch more than anything else.

Heading back to his room in the B&B they were staying at (you couldn't call it a hotel, not quite, and it was too genteel to be considered a motel), he locked the door, and fished around in his mokeskin pouch. He knew that if anyone was watching, they would be looking askance at him, at the very least. After all, he had just pulled out a blood bag, one which he began sipping from as if it was a carton of fruit juice.

Shortly after the incident with Aunt Marge, while he was staying at Diagon Alley, he had tracked down someone who supplied the local vampires with stocks of blood. The supplier understood the need for discretion, and the exchange was done with Harry concealing his face underneath the hood of a hoodie. He had purchased a substantial supply of blood bags, all of his blood type, and with a special stasis charm on them to keep them fresh. He also had a good supply of Blood Pops, a less objectionable source of blood, though normal wizards thought those who had them were strange.

Why would Harry do such a thing? The genesis of his fascination for blood becoming a desire for it seemed to be when the Basilisk had managed to gore him with one of its fangs in the Chamber of Secrets. The blood welling up from the wound in his arm had captivated him, almost distracting him from his mission of saving Ginny's life. Fawkes had, of course, healed the Basilisk's venom with his tears. But the captivation remained, and he had become changed.

When Dudley had tripped him and sent him sprawling to the footpath shortly after Harry returned from Hogwarts, he had scrapes and bruises. But he healed of those pretty quickly, and in fact, Harry could all but see the wounds close and the bruises fade as he licked his own blood from the scrapes.

It disturbed him, but it fascinated him even more. To his knowledge, only vampires had this combination of desire for blood, and rapid healing. He had done some discreet testing, and found that none of the weaknesses of vampires seemed to affect him. He didn't mind garlic, he didn't have any reaction to silver, sunlight, or holy relics of any kind, and running water did bugger all to him. He could certainly cross it. He could eat normal food, too, without hassle: vampires struggled to eat normal food, with blood or blood-laced drinks, not to mention Blood Pops, being the only things they could consume readily.

Harry just didn't know whether this was some random quirk, or perhaps he did have some vampire in him. Who knew? All he did know was that he could drink blood, that he _desired_ blood, and heal rapidly when it happened. The bags of blood were handy when he had one of his misadventures, though he had to do so secretly to avoid getting the wrong sort of attention. But it comforted him. As if it had been an instinct that had been suppressed for a long, long year, and had been returned to him by the Basilisk's bite. Like it was always a part of him, as much as breathing was. Like it was, to him at least, _normal_.

* * *

That night, Harry was woken by a commotion next door. He could hear horrified screams from his aunt and uncle, and the sound of laughter. Diabolical laughter. This guy could give Voldemort lessons in how to laugh maniacally. Harry got his wand ready. Statute of Secrecy be damned, if there really was someone causing trouble, he needed to be ready.

Then, after everything subsided, the door was suddenly wrenched off its hinges. Harry took in the cassock and dog-collar. A priest. And judging by the blood flowing from his mouth and the deranged grin that had fangs, Harry would be forgiven for coming to the conclusion that this was a vampire.

"Oh, what have we here?" the priest asked. He frowned, peering at Harry's forehead. "The Boy Who Lived, no less. What an interesting coincidence to have you here, which means the walrus, the giraffe, and the pig I just slaughtered were your relatives. The Dark Lord has put quite the price on your head, and you're far from home or Hogwarts."

"Yeah, but I'm far from helpless either!" Harry snarled, before sending a wordless Banishing Charm the vampire's way. The vampire had just enough time for his eyes to widen in shock before he was sent flying out of the room, buying enough time for Harry to grab his stuff, destroy a window with a spell, then leap out of it like some Hollywood action film cliché.

He hit the ground running quite literally, ducking and weaving between zombies swarming the village. Or rather, ghouls. Zombie-like creatures under the thrall of the vampire who created them, if he recalled what he read about vampires correctly. They were what happened when vampires fed on non-virgins. He wondered whether that meant Dudley was now a vampire, before deciding that was unlikely. The priest probably butchered Dudley instead, and that was probably a more merciful end than any other scenario that played itself in Harry's mind. If Dudley had had sex by this point (and he was only 15, for crying out loud!), he would have been boasting about it.

He didn't mourn the Dursleys. To be perfectly honest, given their track record, he couldn't. But now was not the time to even think about that. What mattered was survival, and seeing whether there were any other survivors.

* * *

Harry never found any. He spent much of the next day resting (but unable to sleep) in one of the abandoned houses. Trying to escape at this point was pointless, as the vampire might try to hunt him down (he had been seen out in the day, albeit with concealing clothes) or else send his ghouls after him if he tried, and Hedwig had been sent to Hermione while he was at Cheddar. He didn't want to risk Apparating, in case he splinched. He liked his body parts where they were, thank you very much.

Earlier in the morning, he had been sent a letter from the Office of the Misuse of Magic by owl post saying he would be expelled from Hogwarts for using magic around Muggles. He'd torn that up with a frustrated howl. Shortly thereafter, he got sent another one by the same people, saying he was to undergo a hearing. He scowled, but at least that was better than being expelled. But the Ministry of Magic and their bureaucratic pedantry would have to wait until he wasn't in danger of his life!

Late in the afternoon, he began hearing gunshots and screams. He looked out the window, and saw a pair of police officers shooting at the ghouls. He rushed to the door of the house, wrenched it open, and yelled, "In here! Quickly!"

The police looked at him, before they hurried inside. Harry slammed the door shut and used a locking charm discreetly. "What the hell are those things?!" one of the officers, a man, demanded, running a hand through his hair. "They're like zombies!"

"Ghouls," Harry corrected. "Look, this is going to be hard to believe, but those things are basically zombies under the control of a vampire. I'm Harry Potter, by the way."

The dark-haired man peered at him in a way that suggested he recognised the name. His eyes flickered up to the scar. "Sergeant David Agnew(3)," he responded. He then indicated his partner, a buxom young woman with short blonde hair and blue eyes. "This is Constable Seras Victoria. I thought you lived somewhere in Surrey, Mr Potter."

"You know this guy, Sergeant?" Seras asked.

"I'm a Squib," Agnew said quietly to Harry, who nodded in recognition. Agnew then said to Seras, "Harry became famous in certain circles when a terrorist tried to murder him. Harry survived when his parents didn't. The terrorist was thought to have died, but Harry here claims to have seen him come out from hiding, though some people high up have tried to besmirch his name."

"What do you mean, besmirch my name?" Harry demanded.

"They're putting it in _that_ newspaper," Agnew said. "Load of bullshit if you ask me. So these things are ghouls?" He indicated the ghouls massing outside.

"Do you believe him, Sergeant?" Seras asked.

"Yeah. There are real vampires out there, believe me, I know. Those things are what happens when a vampire sucks the blood from someone who isn't a virgin. Well, unless they butcher the person completely. They're like any zombie, your best bet is to hit the head, and even then, normal bullets don't do much." Agnew checked his handgun and scowled. "I've only got two shots. How many have you got left, Seras?"

"Three," Seras said.

Agnew nodded, before turning to Harry. "You reckon you can help?"

Harry nodded, but indicated Seras. "Is she…?"

"There's provisions for that," Agnew said, before turning to Seras. "Seras, what you'll see Harry do is secret. We're talking way more than Official Secrets Act stuff. Of course, this goes without saying about these damned ghouls."

"Yes, sir," Seras said, nodding.

"So what do we do?" Harry asked. "Will the Ministry be coming? The Aurors?"

Agnew shook his head. "This tends to fall under the purview of the Hellsing Organisation."

"Never heard of them."

"I'm not surprised. I only came across them once, and it was at the aftermath of what happened. I've never seen live ghouls before. Anyway, we came to a crime scene once of a rather vicious killing of a family. This woman in charge, she had dark skin like she was Indian but she had blonde hair, and she was wearing a suit. Sir Integra Hellsing. Dunno why they call her sir if she's a woman, I guess there's some hereditary title that overlooks gender. Anyway, supposedly, the Hellsing Organisation was established by no less august a personage than Dr Abraham van Helsing himself."

"Isn't he the guy from _Dracula?_ "

"Yeah. Dunno whether it's true or not. But vampires exist, and Hellsing exists to fight them. They don't get along well with the Ministry, either. Rumour has it that Hellsing has a pretty powerful vampire working for them as their best hunter."

"Well, they'd better get here quick," Harry scowled as he realised something. "Sundown's coming soon." He didn't need to say that this also meant that the vampire priest would come calling, and not to administer Extreme Unction or hear a confession…

 **CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **And here we are, at the beginning of** ** _Haemophilia_** **. Those of you who have read the existing chapters of** ** _It's in the Blood_** **will notice many changes, though some parts were retained from that story. Hope you enjoy. You'll also find a lot of terms from biology, medicine, and haematology here. I've got degrees in the health science area, so where possible, I will try to make it reasonably accurate. Given that this is a fantasy story, though, accuracy isn't always guaranteed…**

 **1\. This is actually true. Myoglobin, for those of you not in the know, is a protein similar to haemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen and gives blood its distinctive colour. Myoglobin, however, is found in muscles rather than blood.**

 **2\. These are actual scientific journals relating to haematology (** ** _Blood_** **is an American journal, incidentally). I nearly had Hermione get a subscription for Harry, but then I remembered that subscriptions to academic journals are expensive.**

 **3\. I needed a name in a hurry, and decided to choose 'David Agnew'. This name was actually a pseudonym used by the BBC in the Seventies, usually for scripts that had to be heavily rewritten by members of the production team. As regulations at the time more or less forbade this under most circumstances, the pseudonym was used for the times when this was unavoidable.** ** _Doctor Who_** **fans may have heard of him.**


	3. Chapter 2: Enter Alucard

**CHAPTER 2:**

 **ENTER ALUCARD**

"So, what you're telling me," Seras said after being given a quick explanation by Agnew, "is that witches and wizards exist amongst us in secret? And Harry here is one of them?"

Agnew nodded. "I'm what's known as a Squib, someone born without magic to a family who had magic. I was also lucky enough to get work in Muggle society. A Muggle, by the way, is what you are: someone who can't use magic, and not born to a magical family. Like I said, treat this information like something covered by the Official Secrets Act. Assuming, of course, we get out of here alive."

Harry scowled, looking out the window. Night was falling. And Mr Homicidal Vampire Priest might be coming soon to get them. Even now, the ghouls were massing outside, surrounding the house, possibly on psychic orders from their master. Harry noted that there were now some police officers with guns at the forefront.

"It's like something out of a George Romero film," Agnew muttered. He looked at Harry. "Don't suppose you brought your broomstick?"

Harry shook his head. "I brought an Invisibility Cloak with me, but it could barely fit three of us. And that's when we were eleven. Anyway, can those things smell us?"

"I don't know, but I wouldn't be surprised. You know Incendiary spells? Cutting Curses?"

Harry nodded. "Both. I know _Incendio_ and _Reducto_."

" _Reducto_ should be good enough, as long as you put enough power into it. Aim for their heads. I don't know much about ghouls, but they are vulnerable to magic. They're not like an Inferius." On Harry's look, Agnew clarified, "Think a magic-resistant zombie, but under the control of a wizard like Voldemort. It's a bit over-simplistic, but it's a good analogy."

Harry nodded, before he found himself looking outside the house, scowling. The sun had set, and in the fading light, the now-familiar figure of Mr Homicidal Vampire Priest had come to command his necrotic army. Harry inched open the window, and then sent a _Reducto_ at one of the ghouls. The ghoul's head exploded in a gory spray, and collapsed.

As the vampire snarled, Harry sent more _Reductos_. More ghouls collapsed. Looks like his Seeker training helped him hit the head of these ghouls. "How long can you keep this up, Harry Potter?" the vampire priest jeered.

"Long enough," Harry snarked back. But then, he saw three familiar dark-robed shapes near the priest, wearing eerie white masks.

Agnew paled when he saw them. "Shit, Death Eaters!" he hissed.

"Are those the wizarding terrorists?" Seras asked.

"Yes. Shoot them in the head. If they can't get a Shield Charm off, they'll die. And keep in mind, they'll kill you given a chance."

"Surrender, Potter!" one of the Death Eaters called out. Harry realised, with a chill, that it was Lucius Malfoy. "Give yourself into the mercy of the Dark Lord!"

"What mercy?!" Harry yelled back, his tone having a jeering nature to it.

"The Dark Lord will make your end quick. However, should you fail to accept this generous offer, then the Dark Lord has given our friend leave to have the ghouls feast on you! And it will be slow. Dumbledore cannot save you! Nobody is coming to help you!"

"That's fine! I've had to save myself from you bastards most of the time! And if I recall correctly, the score's currently four-nil against Voldemort alone! Three guesses as to who has the nil score."

"Given your flippancy, I would have to say that you have chosen unwisely!"

"I'm not going to lay down and die that easily!" Harry snarled, feeling a brief surge of anger and strength run through his body. He noticed Agnew and Seras looking at him in shock. "What?"

"Harry…your eyes just turned red for a moment," Seras said. Agnew nodded.

Harry frowned, before shaking his head. "Never mind. I guess we'll have to use fire. Get the hell out of here while they're distracted." He began taking deep breaths, before he jabbed his wand out of the window, pushed as much power into the spell as he dared, and unleashed fire. Agnew and Seras saw his eyes turn red once more.

He didn't say _Incendio_ because he didn't want to warn them what was coming. However, unknowingly, he had unleashed something far more powerful than a mere _Incendio_ spell.

He had, unwittingly, unleashed _Fiendfyre_ on the ghouls.

Not that he would know this until later. All he knew was that the massive blast of fire that rushed from his wand was alive, and it was _hungry_. It washed over the ghouls, turning them into ashes instantly. He thought he caught a glimpse of Vernon Dursley amongst the ghouls before they were consumed by the diabolic flames.

Harry could actually direct the flames. It felt like he could see through its eyes (the fact that magical fire HAD eyes was astonishing, when Harry thought about it in retrospect). He WAS the fire, and directed it to circle the house, destroying the ghouls, before making it disperse. He couldn't see the Death Eaters or the vampire priest.

"We'll make a break for it," Agnew said. "Hopefully, they'll think twice. There should be a car nearby we can drive out of here."

"Will it be safe?" Harry asked.

"We've gotten rid of the ghouls, or at least most of them," Agnew said. "Once we get in the car, we'll have to get the hell out of here as quickly as possible."

" _AVADA KEDAVRA!_ "

Suddenly, Agnew was flung to the floor by a green jet of light…from behind, the last expression on his face being an almost comical expression of terminal shock. Harry whirled to find Lucius Malfoy, sans mask, and another Death Eater, along with the vampire. " _Incarcerous_ ," Malfoy hissed, and Harry and Seras found themselves bound in magical ropes. As he approached, Malfoy said, "Not bad, Potter, to use Fiendfyre at your age, and control it to boot. You even managed to get Crabbe. But you forgot that we can Apparate. Doing so without a visualised destination is tricky, but worth it, don't you think?"

"And I'd kill you for nearly killing me," the vampire snarled as Harry struggled against his bonds, "but Voldemort wants you delivered to him, preferably alive. But this buxom little tart is _mine_. First, I'm going to rape her. No sense in creating a fledgling vampire when I can have a ghoul under my control, especially as you destroyed my army. Then, I'm going to drink every last fucking drop of her blood. She'll be my slave. And you, Harry Potter, will die."

Seras quailed, even as she was hauled viciously to her feet, but a voice from just outside the door of the house, a deep, resonant, cultured voice, remarked, "That would sound really intimidating if you were, well, _intimidating_."

Harry turned his head to stare at the door, seeing it broken down by a tall man, wearing a red coat and a red wide-brimmed hat. His clothing seemed to be a mixture of modern and older fashions: Harry was sure the man was wearing a _cravat!_ His eyes were obscured by orange-tinted glasses, his hands covered in white gloves with elaborate sigils on them. It was a badass entrance to be sure.

Shame it was spoiled by Malfoy's fellow Death Eater felling him with a Killing Curse.

"Who in Merlin's name was that idiot?" Lucius Malfoy asked.

"I've no idea," the vampire priest remarked. "Probably a vampire hunter. I know _what_ he is, though: _dead_."

Lucius Malfoy, his fellow Death Eater, and the vampire began to laugh. Only to freeze when they heard an accompanying tenebrous chuckle that wasn't from them or their captives. Rather, it was from the corpse. Which was clearly not a corpse.

As he rose to his feet, the man in red grinned viciously. "I've forgotten how much wizarding magic _stings(_ _1)_ _!_ " Then, in a burst of speed, he rushed forward, grabbing the other Death Eater, his mouth distending grotesquely to reveal a maw filled with shark-like teeth, and biting down, ripping the Death Eater's throat out, and flinging the man to the side. "Of course, I've also forgotten how pathetic you are. Not even dogs. Dunno why old Arthur didn't bring me out for your last little war. I would have had so much _fun!_ "

"Monster!" Lucius Malfoy snarled, before sending more spells at the man in red. Who merely staggered back a little.

"I've heard them all before. Monster, devil, abomination. I've heard these tedious little epithets before, and from people who are many times your better, Lucius Malfoy. Now, let's see what the colour of your brain is," the man in red sneered. Suddenly, a massive handgun was in his hand, and he aimed it at Malfoy's head. Malfoy had enough time for his eyes to widen, before the contents of his skull were liberally painted all over a nearby wall.

Harry looked at the man in red, then his oversized handgun, before muttering, "Compensating for something?"

The vampire priest, however, had not been idle. He had wrenched Seras to her feet, and soon had his foot pressing down hard and painfully on Harry's chest. "You! You're one of us, aren't you? Why are you helping them?"

"A long story. However, even if I wasn't helping humans out, your actions are more than enough reason to kill you, you imbecile. Kill these humans with reckless abandon, and where would your food supply be then, huh? Restraint is necessary."

"Well, here's the thing," the priest said, holding Seras in front of him. "Let me go, and I'll let these two live. I mean, you were meant to find survivors, right? But I'll kill the boy if you take too long!"

The man in red merely scoffed, raising his handgun. "Hey, Police Girl. You a virgin?"

"What's the meaning of this?" the priest demanded.

"Well, Police Girl?"

Seras nodded, hesitantly.

"Oh no, you don…"

 ** _BOOM!_**

The vampire priest, his last utterance cut short abruptly by the massive retort of the massive handgun, staggered back, vomiting blood, while Seras collapsed next to Harry, a gaping wound in her chest. The man in red lunged forward, impaling the priest on his hand. The vampire, with a scream of agony, dissolved into a fountain of blood.

The man in red then knelt down next to Seras. "My apologies, but that was somewhat necessary. Still, you're now faced with a choice. Live, even if it's in a world of darkness, or die from that hole I put through your lung? Well? What do you choose?"

Seras wheezed, before nodding. "I…do it."

The man in red grinned, before his mouth opened up, revealing those shark-like teeth again, and bit down almost tenderly on Seras' neck. Harry would have protested, but he realised that Seras would die, otherwise. Eventually, Seras, after emitting some rather disturbingly sensuous moans, fell unconscious. And the man in red turned his attention to Harry. "So, we have a celebrity in our midst. No less august a personage than Harry Potter himself."

"And you are?"

"Ah, how remiss of me. You may call me Alucard. Chief vampire hunter to the Hellsing Organisation."

"And a vampire yourself," Harry observed.

"Well, I can't fault your observational skills," Alucard said with a sardonic smirk.

"Well, I can fault your punctuality. You took your bloody time getting here!"

Alucard chuckled at that. "Oh, you have _spirit_ , Harry. Most people would be soiling themselves after a display like that!"

"I fought a Basilisk and a dragon. A vampire seems tame by comparison."

"Ooh, you remind me so much of my master. So full of spirit and resolve." Alucard went into another room, before emerging with a blanket, which he draped gently over Seras, albeit just after cutting through the ropes binding them. "Come along, I'll take you to meet her."

* * *

They approached what seemed to be a staging area for the police, and a tent set up for briefings. As they approached the tent, Harry heard some sort of argument. A woman's voice, cultured, but with an authoritative tone, was saying, "…under the jurisdiction of Hellsing."

" _Hem, hem_ ," interjected another voice. When this one actually spoke, it was sickeningly sweet and unctuous. "Be that as it may, _Sir_ Integra," (Harry noted that the woman speaking emphasised 'sir' in a way that suggested disdain and contempt rather than respect), "Mr Potter has committed a number of offences in a short period, including no less egregious an offence than using a Dark spell in what had to be full view of Muggles! And that is without going into the Unforgivables detected!"

Coldly, the first voice, presumably that of Integra, retorted, "Reports are that there are few, if any, survivors of Cheddar. Any who could have seen what happened can be Obliviated or silenced, and considering that the area is swarming with ghouls, I daresay even Fiendfyre would count as self-defence."

"Now look here…" Another voice that Harry recognised as that of Percy Weasley. It was interrupted with someone slamming their hands onto a table.

"You are **_not_** listening," Integra said in a low growl. "In matters such as these, the Hellsing Organisation has priority over the Ministry, including any wizards or witches who end up in these situations, as is written in the charter Queen Victoria and the Ministry wrote up with Abraham van Helsing when Hellsing was first established. This is not up for debate, Umbridge. I don't care if you're the Senior Undersecretary to Fudge. Especially as you've shown up rather too quickly after Harry allegedly cast Dark spells. One would think that you are keeping an especial eye on him, which is suspicious, given your little smear campaign against him. I don't care if you are Fudge, Voldemort, or Dumbledore! Leave now. And keep in mind that attempting to use any spell on me is tantamount to a declaration of war. Her Majesty may even decide to dissolve the Ministry. And while your sneer suggests that you don't think she can do so, keep in mind that the Queen is still your ruler. Put your wands away, and leave now. I won't ask again."

Harry and Alucard (who had now put the unconscious Seras over his shoulder) had reached the tent just as a quartet of people emerged. Harry recognised the officious features of the bespectacled Percy Weasley, though he didn't like the disdain and haughtiness beneath the shocked expression. He didn't recognise the woman, and he was glad of it: she looked like someone had changed a toad into a woman and dressed her in eye-burning pink. However, she was clearly not his friend, as she was looking at him with hatred and glee, not a good combination. She whipped out her wand and was about to cast a spell on Harry when Alucard lunged and grabbed her wand and hand, crushing it. "I do believe my master told you to leave," he observed mildly, as if discussing the weather than crushing a woman's hand while it was holding a wooden object prone to splintering. "Drawing a wand on someone in Hellsing's custody without permission is somewhat rude."

"Let me go, you foul monster!" the woman snarled, half in anger, and half in pain as she sagged to her knees. It was clearly the woman Integra had been speaking to, judging by the voice. "That boy is to be placed in _our_ custody!"

Alucard chuckled, as if he had heard a particularly funny joke. "Oh, _do_ shut up."

"What did you say?!"

"I said, _shut up_. My apologies for not realising you were _deaf_ ," Alucard snarked(2). He increased the pressure, causing Umbridge to emit a shrill shriek of pain. He looked at the others, who were watching on in horror and fear, but weren't making any sudden moves. "You three are smarter than your boss. When you take her back to that dithering dotard Fudge, tell him her injuries were Alucard-related. He'll know what that means. And tell him that if any come to harass Potter while we are dealing with him, then they will have to deal with me. Please do. I get so very _bored_ , and I haven't fought wizards in a long time." The grin he gave was far from assuring, even as he released Umbridge, whose hand was filled with splinters and shards of her wand.

Percy helped Umbridge to her feet, though he was shoved away by the petulant batrachian bitch. "You will regret this," she snarled at Alucard, before storming off.

As the quartet of wizards walked away, Alucard said, cheerfully, "Eat me! Don't forget to write!"

"Alucard," came the voice of Integra, who emerged from the tent, "did you just threaten representatives of the Ministry of Magic?"

"Of course not, Integra. Threats may not actually be followed through when the time comes. They were warnings of certainties should they cross us."

Integra seemed torn between smiling in amusement, and sighing in exasperation. Harry was surprised she was so young. Although she carried herself in a way that seemed more like someone at least a decade older, Integra was probably in her early twenties at the oldest. Her light brown skin was reminiscent of someone with Indian ancestry, and yet, strangely didn't clash with her blonde hair and blue eyes, the latter flashing behind glasses. If she wasn't looking so serious, she'd be devastatingly beautiful, Harry thought. She was dressed in a somewhat severe suit, and carried herself with the assured authority of a Malfoy, but with less of the snideness or haughtiness. She did seem a little haughty, but when she turned her gaze to Harry, there was no contempt, no sense she was deigning to speak to him. Just cool appraisal, which had the faintest hint of genuine relief in it.

"Good evening, Harry Potter," she said, extending a hand. "I am Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. You have clearly met my top vampire hunter and gadfly extraordinaire, Alucard."

Harry took it, and shook it. "A pleasure to meet you, Sir Integra, though I wish it was under better circumstances."

"Indeed." Integra turned her attention to Alucard. "Alucard, that woman you have over your shoulder, is she another survivor?"

"It depends on how you look at it, master," Alucard said, taking Seras off his shoulder and cradling her in his arms again. "Let's just say, officially, no."

Integra's eyes narrowed. "You've turned her into a vampire." It wasn't a question by any means.

"Of course. By the way, when you send the troops to clean up, there'll be the body of a trio of Death Eaters in the house where these two were holed up, including one Lucius Malfoy," Alucard said as he walked into the tent, and laid Seras gently onto a chair.

Integra flinched slightly. "You know that's going to cause a stir at the Ministry? One of Fudge's main financial backers dead, and we'll be claiming he's a Death Eater?"

"Hey, he was helping the priest. I do the vampire hunting, you clean up the political mess. That's how we roll."

As Integra seemed to resist the urge to facepalm, Harry asked, "Is he like this all the time?"

"No. On occasion, he is much worse," Integra muttered. And Harry just had to wonder what exactly he had gotten himself into…

 **CHAPTER 2 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Harry has met Alucard, and Seras has become a vampire. Good times. By the way, it was a calculated irony to have Crabbe die in the same way his son would in canon: consumed by Fiendfyre (and yes, it was Crabbe and Goyle's parents accompanying Lucius Malfoy: Goyle was the one who got his throat ripped out by Alucard). And fans of** ** _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_** **will notice a couple of pieces of dialogue lifted from that show.**

 **Now, as many of you have noticed, I have diverged significantly from many aspects of sakurademonalchemist's original plot. She and I have different writing styles and tastes. However, I am using the existing three chapters of** ** _It's in the Blood_** **as a guide.**

 **I'll be addressing the issue of the blood wards, as while I'm not intending to do any bashing of Dumbledore (beyond a minimum: calling him out on his crappy decisions, anyway), like** ** _It's in the Blood_** **, Lily is not a blood relation of the Evans. I'll come to that in a later chapter. For the moment, I want to get Harry settled in at Hellsing, as well as discussing the repercussions of Malfoy's and Umbridge's actions at Cheddar.**

 **Also, in case you're wondering where the Dementors went, keep in mind that this incident is shortly before Umbridge sent the Dementors in canon. Given how Harry needed magic to defend himself against the vampire, Umbridge is basically taking advantage of it, and believing she didn't need to send the Dementors. The other letters (by Arthur Weasley) haven't been sent because they don't know exactly where Harry is yet, and they don't want to risk Hedwig or any of Harry's friends' owls being recognised.**

 **1\. A quote from** ** _Harry Potter and the Endless Night_** **by The Sage of Toads.**

 **2\. Alucard is channelling (to some degree) Kerr Avon from** ** _Blake's 7_** **, particularly from a scene in the episode** ** _Sarcophagus_** **.**


	4. Chapter 3: Hellsing

**CHAPTER 3:**

 **HELLSING**

Harry was impressed by Integra, given that she allowed him to sit in the very expensive limousine with her as they were driven back to the Hellsing Organisation. Especially as his clothes were covered in blood, most of it from the vampire priest and Seras when Alucard shot them. As they were driven back to the Hellsing Organisation, Integra debriefed them both, Seras having finally woken up. The young woman was understandably freaked out to learn she was a vampire now. Alucard merely sat, drinking from a glass of wine (and presumably blood), interjecting with a remark now and then.

Harry realised that both Integra and (despite his snide remarks) Alucard had a somewhat aristocratic air. Integra was aloof and detached, but she did show concern for both Harry and Seras. Alucard, meanwhile, was like a Malfoy, albeit a likeable one (if that wasn't an oxymoron), a man who affected an air of haughty disdain and mockery, though some of his quips were fairly lowbrow.

Now that he came to think of it, that was a suspiciously strange name, Alucard. In fact, he remembered the backwards writing on the Mirror of Erised. And given that Sergeant Agnew had stated that Hellsing had been founded by none other than Abraham van Helsing, he didn't think it coincidence that Hellsing's top vampire hunter, and a vampire himself, had a name that was Dracula spelled backwards. He kept it to himself, though.

Integra took her glasses off and pinched the bridge of her nose. "What an eventful night this has been. A vampire causes the death of hundreds in Cheddar before the people managed to flee, we've had the Boy Who Lived in this mess, and we had Death Eaters mixed in to boot. Not to mention the Ministry's representatives coming suspiciously soon after you used Fiendfyre, and without you realising that you did."

"They already sent me a letter saying first I'd be expelled. I tore that one up, but I kept the one saying I would have to go to a hearing," Harry said, handing it over. As Integra read it, Harry continued, "The first time I was sent any letter because of magic being used in front of Muggles, it was a House Elf doing it!"

"House Elf magic is normally different to that wizards and witches use," Integra said. "But they can emulate human magic. The House Elf probably did so deliberately."

"Yeah, to try and keep me away from Hogwarts," Harry muttered bitterly. For all that he liked Dobby, he didn't like what happened after Dobby's use of magic: the Dursleys locking him into his room after that whole mess.

"Given what Umbridge said to me, reading between the lines, she's been keeping an eye on you. Quite frankly, it's not surprising. That odious woman is the chief underling to Cornelius Fudge, and they're currently mounting a smear campaign against you and Dumbledore in _The Daily Prophet_ ," Integra said.

Harry looked up at her. "What?"

"You don't know? Wait, you were living with non-magical relatives," Integra said. "They are calling you in general terms an attention-seeking liar poisoned by your own fame, and Dumbledore a senile old idiot."

Anger welled up within Harry, as did the power he had felt before, when he unleashed the Fiendfyre. "What? Why the hell would that idiot Fudge do that?"

Integra, though apparently startled, said rather calmly, "Make your eyes stop glowing red, and I will tell you."

Harry blinked, then tried to calm himself. The anger receded, though it didn't go away. Integra then said, "Fudge is, frankly, a coward, a fool, and, worst of all, a politician. He'd rather believe anything than accept that Voldemort is back, and he also suspects that Dumbledore is after his position as Minister for Magic. Umbridge fuels this paranoia, and whispers what he wants to hear in his ear. And while Umbridge is not actually a Death Eater, being too opportunistic to actually join Voldemort, she shares many of their beliefs. I'd call her a groupie, myself. For all we know, Lucius Malfoy and Umbridge were in cahoots over that attack on you in Cheddar, though that is somewhat unsubstantiated speculation. It's just too much of a coincidence, her being here."

Harry nodded. At least he had targets for his ire. "I'm surprised Dumbledore wasn't there."

"Dumbledore is in a tenuous position. He's already lost his position of Supreme Mugwump of the ICW, and his title as Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot. Fudge is looking for ways to strip him of the title of Headmaster of Hogwarts as well, and as questionable as some of Dumbledore's decisions have been, to say the least, the truth is that if Voldemort has come back, then we need Dumbledore. Dumbledore is a wizard of considerable skill and ability. His main problem is his annoying pacifistic tendencies, that, and he tends to hoard information."

"And that's without going into him leaving me with the Dursleys, despite my protests," Harry said with a scowl.

"As much as I'd hate to admit it, considering what you've told me about them, and what we know about your home life, Dumbledore has a good reason, or at least what he thinks is a good reason. Said reason is more than likely moot with the Dursleys' deaths. Dumbledore, sadly, keeps his cards close to his chest." The limousine pulled up, and Integra said, "We're here."

The door was opened by a tall, thin man dressed in dark trousers, a white shirt, and a dark waistcoat, his black hair tied back into a ponytail and wearing a monocle. Harry couldn't tell the man's age, but he was sure the man was old given the wrinkles. "Good evening, Sir Integra," he said. Looking into the car, he remarked mildly, "I see we have a couple of guests, including a rather noteworthy one."

"Yes, Walter, it seems we will be accommodating Harry Potter. The girl is Constable Seras Victoria," Integra said as she stepped out of the car. "Both are more interesting than they seem."

"Shall I prepare the guest rooms?"

"Yes. Make sure the one for Miss Victoria is a special one." On his look, Integra clarified, "Alucard turned her."

"Ah." As Harry, Seras, and Alucard left the car, Walter bowed, and then left for the mansion.

Which, incidentally, was massive. It was practically a palace, and Harry found it hard to believe that it was the headquarters of a vampire-hunting organisation. It seemed more like one of the Queen's palaces.

But he also knew appearances were deceiving.

As he looked at the mansion, he heard a brief sniff from Alucard, who had his nose rather close to Harry's clothes. Harry recoiled. "Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" Harry yelped.

"Oh, the Police Girl's blood is still on you," Alucard said. Though Harry got the impression he was lying. "It was rather exquisite. Virgin blood always is."

"You're making me uncomfortable," Harry snarked. "And I'm sure _Seras_ feels the same way."

"Oh, I _know_ you are uncomfortable," Alucard said with a smirk. "It's all part of the fun. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm heading back to my chambers."

As he walked away, Seras let out a sigh she wasn't aware she was holding in. "What's wrong with him?"

"It's a long list, one that I do not care to write out for you, Miss Victoria," Integra said. "While Harry's fate is yet to be decided, given that you have become Alucard's fledgling, you are now a conscript of the Hellsing Organisation. Before you protest, please keep in mind that there are a number of organisations who don't take kindly to vampires, even those who try not to harm humans. And, officially, you are amongst the casualties of Cheddar. It's better that you're under our aegis."

"Bloody hell," Seras murmured disconsolately.

"Look at it this way, Seras, it could be much, much worse," Harry said cheerfully. "You could be dead, or fighting a Basilisk."

"A Basilisk? What's a Basilisk?"

"Only a bloody huge snake with lethal venom and an even more lethal gaze. It turns you to stone if you look at its eyes in a reflection, if you're lucky. If you look into its eyes directly, you die."

Integra looked askance at him, an eyebrow raised. "You speak from personal experience?"

"Yeah. At the end of my second year, I had to kill one."

"Ah. When the rumours that the Chamber of Secrets had been reopened were flying around," Integra mused as they began walking to the mansion. "To kill a Basilisk at your age would have been an astonishing feat. I'm surprised you didn't get bitten."

"I did." On seeing her look of astonishment, he added, "Fawkes, Dumbledore's Phoenix, healed me with his tears."

"A close call, then."

Seras boggled. "You seem pretty blasé about this, Harry. I mean, I know you go to a magical school and all, but you seem to be pretty calm about nearly dying. And you were like that when in the house. Angry and annoyed, but not afraid."

"Seras, my so-called relatives treated me as a live-in servant and treated me nowhere near as well as I am sure Integra treats Walter. He gets paid as well, no doubt. Every year I've been to Hogwarts, something happens that nearly gets me killed or maimed or expelled. Frankly, it's gotten to the point where I expect the horrible deaths awaiting me."

"Apropos of nothing," Integra said, "what do you know about your godfather?"

Harry fixed her with a look, and said, "I know he's innocent. Not that I can prove it."

* * *

A little while later, Integra had resigned herself to a sleepless night, trying to deal with the aftermath of the Cheddar massacre, with letters flying in by owl. Already, she had gotten missives from Fudge, demanding answers for Alucard attacking Umbridge and bringing Harry into her custody. He was demanding Harry be handed over to the Aurors. Integra, at the end of her reserves of patience and deportment, sent off a letter, liberally-sprinkled with expletives, saying that any Aurors assaulting the Hellsing Organisation would end up as food for Alucard.

A more sane and reserved set of letters came from Amelia Bones, Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and Rufus Scrimgeour, Head of the Auror Office. They wanted answers, but did so in a more diplomatic manner. Integra wrote an equally diplomatic letter for both, reiterating what she had learned, and that the investigation into what had happened was still ongoing. However, Lucius Malfoy had been found in Death Eater robes, along with one Gregory Goyle Senior(1). She would allow Bones and Scrimgeour to examine the evidence and interview Harry, but under the supervision of Hellsing personnel.

A couple of missives from Dumbledore and one Remus Lupin. Dumbledore had requested a meeting tomorrow morning, to make sure Harry was all right (either news spread in Magical Britain faster than even Integra realised, or he had some means of telling where Harry was, and only just learned of the danger he had been in). Integra sent a curt reply off, agreeing to a supervised meeting later the next day. To Lupin, she sent another curt reply, saying that Harry was alive and well.

The replies she sent with the owls who had sent them to her. She had been on the verge of dozing in her chair (very unprofessional, but she needed to snatch a little sleep) when Alucard came in, as he often did, gliding right through a wall as if it was thin air. "You're looking a little less than immaculate, master," he said with a smirk.

"Alucard, you had better have a good reason for bothering me," Integra muttered. And when she saw his face gain a serious, solemn attitude, she realised he did.

"I think I have figured out what exactly our new guest is. More than just a wizard, in any case. I was trying to put my finger onto it. There was something strange I could sense about his presence. I believe I know what it is."

Integra frowned. "You saw his eyes glow red at times, didn't you?"

"Indeed. But he is no vampire. Or rather, he is no full-blooded vampire."

Integra looked up sharply, the tiredness temporarily banished by this revelation. "You cannot mean…"

"I am not fully sure. I would actually have to taste his blood to be certain. But I think he is a dhampir, a vampire hybrid. A half-breed. And despite what fiction would have you believe, dhampirs are exceedingly rare. It is hard for vampires to actually breed, and dhampirs have had a history of becoming vampire hunters in their turn. It's therefore a tradition amongst vampires to kill dhampirs wherever they find them, though the last dhampir I personally met was decades before that whole business with van Helsing. They have many of the strengths of a vampire, with few of the weaknesses. I spied on him shortly after Walter took him to his rooms, entering his room covertly and staying invisible. He took a bag of blood from his mokeskin pouch, and sucked it down like it was fruit juice. That is why I sniffed him earlier. He smelt of blood, and of vampirism, but in a way I hadn't encountered for years. It took me long enough to remember the dhampirs I encountered."

"So, one of his parents was a vampire?"

"Yes. He's definitely half-vampire. I doubt it was his father. There's no vampirism in the Potters, and there's none of the signs it was covered up. I studied the Potter family shortly before your father sealed me away, along with the other major wizarding families. At a guess, I would say it was the mother. I could be wrong, but I have a gut feeling about this."

Integra nodded. "Is he dangerous?"

"Considering that you have me as your servant, master, I think the question is, is he the sort to be a danger to you? The answer is no. He is a danger to you purely because Voldemort wants him dead. I believe being as frank with him as possible would help. You saw the way he was when he spoke of his friends not corresponding with him of late when you were debriefing him. It's doubtful he would be in mourning for his relatives. They're little more than excrement masquerading as people, judging by what he mentioned. He values honesty. Can I assume that you're considering adding him to our little stable?"

Integra nodded. "We have you and Walter as hunters, even if Walter is technically retired. We need more. Miss Victoria can be trained: her work in the police can be a good base to work on, even if she's green. And Harry is quite a capable wizard despite his youth."

Alucard chuckled. "Oh, he is. To be able to control Fiendfyre the way he did…I will tell you this much, master: Fiendfyre is one of the only things that I truly fear now. And when I saw that blast encircle that house, incinerating the ghouls, I felt my heart skip a beat. And considering that it normally doesn't beat at all, that is quite an achievement."

Integra noted that was quite the achievement. Alucard's regenerative ability was astonishing, but Fiendfyre was one of the few things that could prove to be a danger to him. From what she understood about how he regenerated from mortal wounds, it could be a danger. Potentially.

It only spoke to how powerful Harry was if he could control Fiendfyre, a diabolical magical flame that was notorious hard to control. And he was a dhampir to boot. She could only hope that she could bring him on side…

 **CHAPTER 3 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **And here you have it: Integra and Alucard know what Harry is. I hope you enjoy. These revelations technically don't come until later in** ** _It's in the Blood_** **, but I'm taking ideas and concepts from that story, not aping it wholesale.**

 **1\. 'Gregory Goyle Senior' is not the canonical name by any means of Goyle's father, but for the sake of argument, it is here. So Crabbe and Goyle are now fatherless.**


	5. Chapter 4: Righteous Anger

**CHAPTER 4:**

 **RIGHTEOUS ANGER**

Sir Integra had only had met Dumbledore on rare occasions before. She knew that, for all the man's eccentricities and pretence at being a doddery old fool, he was actually a very shrewd man. She hesitated to call him wise, especially in light of what she knew about Harry Potter's home life at the Dursleys (and even that was very little), but he made good decisions more often than not.

Of course, it also meant that some of his blunders were potentially big ones.

During breakfast with Harry this morning, Integra told him that he would have to talk to Amelia Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour of the DMLE. Integra had retained the services of a barrister versed in both magical and mundane law. It turned out to be Andromeda Tonks(1), whom, Integra confided, was Sirius Black's cousin, and the sister of Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy. However, Harry was willing to go with it, as Andromeda was apparently nothing like her sisters, having been disowned for marrying a Muggleborn. She also had links to Dumbledore, though she was independent, relatively. In any case, the questioning would also take place with Alucard present.

She also told him that Dumbledore was coming, although Integra made sure his visit would be later than that of the people from the DMLE. She knew Harry wasn't happy with Dumbledore, but Integra reassured him that Dumbledore would not be able to take him away from Hellsing, especially now that he no longer held his more powerful posts.

Bones and Scrimgeour were, even now, questioning Harry. She trusted Alucard to make sure nothing went awry. She was waiting near the special Floo for Dumbledore to arrive, just in case he decided to come early.

And lo and behold, he did. He emerged from the Floo, his gaudy robes clashing with not just the décor, but the thunderously serious expression on his face, far from his usual mask of eccentric frivolity. "Good morning, Sir Integra," he said, politely, if a little clipped in his tone.

"Good morning, Professor Dumbledore," Integra said. "Though I fear it will not be a good day."

"Where's Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"Being interviewed by representatives of the DMLE," Integra stated. As he stiffened, she interjected, "And before you panic, I asked Madam Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour to come here for that purpose. Andromeda Tonks is acting as his legal counsel. And I have Alucard watching the proceedings."

At this, Dumbledore sagged in relief. "Rufus and I don't often see eye to eye, but he is a good man. And Amelia is an excellent woman. And Andromeda Tonks…I see you chose wisely. Except…why have Alucard watching over proceedings?"

"Because I trust Alucard. He may be a monster, but he serves me, as you well know, and he has taken an interest in Harry, as have I."

"True, but I encountered both him, and your butler, Mr Dornez, many a time during the Second World War. And knowing that he is truly Count Dracula…"

Integra cut him off with a wave of her hand. "I understand your concern, but Alucard's loyalty to me personally is absolute. You will have to wait before you can see him. Madam Bones and Mr Scrimgeour need to finish their questioning. If you need to know what happened prior to Cheddar, aside from what the Ministry's lackeys and _The Daily Prophet_ are no doubt trumpeting, I can help you. He spoke to me last night of the events leading up to his coming into my custody."

Dumbledore subsided, albeit reluctantly. He listened as Integra divulged most of what happened last night, though she left out details that would have outed Harry as a dhampir. Afterwards, he asked, "And you have confirmed that it was Lucius Malfoy who led them?" He seemed torn between relief and annoyance at Malfoy's demise. He had a big thing for redeeming Death Eaters, did Dumbledore.

"Yes. The exit wound caused more damage than the entry wound, but it's definitely him. I can even use genetic fingerprinting if I can get a DNA sample from a relative. Madam Bones and Mr Scrimgeour positively identified the bodies. Not that it'll do much good. Given that Malfoy is one of Fudge's major financial and political backers, Fudge will blame myself, Alucard, Harry, you, or all of us. Especially as Alucard broke Dolores Umbridge's wand, along with her hand."

Dumbledore seemed torn between horror and perhaps schadenfreude at such a revelation. Eventually, he said, "It will cause further problems in the future. In the Ministry of Magic at least, it is no secret that Hellsing has a pet vampire at their disposal, acting as a vampire hunter, and you know their attitudes towards any creature they consider dark, no matter what their actions."

"Alucard, despite his jokes about the issue, is nobody's pet, even my own. He chooses to serve me out of amusement as much as personal loyalty, despite the bonds my ancestor put on him. However, I understand your point perfectly. Malfoy's influence has not necessarily died with him, and Magical Britain has always been suspicious of Hellsing, anyway. Fudge may intend to declare war on Hellsing, either not understanding or caring that we operate under the authority of the Queen. Who, I might add, was a personal friend of Alucard's, particularly during the Second World War. She's certainly one of the few living people he truly respects."

"True. I certainly respect Her Majesty. But Fudge, partly due to Malfoy's influence, but mostly to Her Majesty being a Muggle, does not share that respect." Dumbledore pinched the bridge of his nose, sighing gently. "I was considering demanding that Harry be taken by me to a secret location, but I doubt it will be that much more safer than the Hellsing Organisation. His friends, as well as his allies, are there. But perhaps I can send a couple to Hellsing, if they are willing to be in the same building as Alucard. Does Alucard have any objection to werewolves?"

"They irritate him, but he doesn't go out of his way to kill them. What about Sirius Black?" When Dumbledore blinked, Integra said, "Dumbledore, when that whole debacle with him escaping occurred a couple of years back, I did some research about his case. I noticed more than a few holes in the story. I even asked Madam Bones about the trial records, but she couldn't find any. While it does not prove his innocence, it does throw doubt on his conviction, something you should have thought of. And Harry made a remark last night that Sirius was innocent, though in no way that can be proven."

"Not without Fudge sending the Dementors to give him the Kiss," Dumbledore said. "I admit, Sirius being shipped off to Azkaban was one of my biggest failures, for I truly believed he was the one to betray the Potters. I didn't bother looking at the cases. I didn't even know Barty Crouch Senior had shipped him off to Azkaban without a trial. Perhaps I didn't want to. I believed, erroneously, that Sirius was getting his just desserts for showing his true colours. And attempting to get Sirius a new trial…already, I am perceived as a senile crackpot, even before I was stripped of my authority over the Wizengamot. And Fudge, of late, never changes his mind once an idea gets into it. Severus Snape is to blame for solidifying Sirius' guilt in Fudge's mind, not that it needed any further such reinforcement."

"If necessary, I can give him sanctuary here, until I can send Madam Bones the necessary evidence to exonerate him. As an outside entity to the Ministry, and a technically non-magical one at that, I have little standing to lose, though I at least have contacts unlike most non-magical organisations who are aware of magic. And in any case, Alucard could, if he wanted to, find out the truth by drinking some of his blood. Not enough to turn him into a ghoul, but enough to discern what he knows. I will also allow his friends here for visits. But on a more important note, do you think the Ministry will expel Harry from Hogwarts?"

Dumbledore nodded gravely. "And while Fiendfyre is not counted amongst the Unforgivables, it is such a Dark spell, I would not be surprised if they attempted to lock him away in Azkaban. Even with Malfoy dead, the Death Eaters dominate the Wizengamot, and cannot be uprooted easily."

"Oh, there is an easy way to uproot them, Albus," came a familiar tenebrous chuckle. "But you've often baulked at bloodshed."

Emerging from the wall was Alucard, smiling darkly as was his frequent wont to do. "Alucard," Dumbledore said tightly. "You haven't changed much, your appearance aside. The last time I saw you…"

"Yes, I was in what Walter used to call my 'Girlycard' phase," Alucard said cheerfully. "For the most part, anyway. While you were dealing with the aftermath of your little lover's spat with Gellert Grindlewald. I see you still have that wand of his. Enjoy playing with his wand, hmm?"

Integra had to suppress the laughter that threatened to burst out of her, never mind the smile, with a supreme effort of will. She nearly didn't manage it. Dumbledore's scowl, however, wasn't just angry. There was sadness and regret in it too. "That was in extremely poor taste, _Count_."

"Frankly, a _lot_ of what I do is in very poor taste, _Professor_ ," Alucard retorted. "I am just more honest about it."

"Enough," Integra said. "Alucard, has Madam Bones and Mr Scrimgeour finished?"

"Hmm? Oh, yes. Actually, Rufus and I were discussing how laughable the accusations that he's a vampire are. I subscribe to a little magazine called _The Quibbler_. It's mostly shit, but it's far more entertaining and funny than the _Prophet_. Less depressing, too. But for some reason, Lovegood thinks that Rufus is a vampire involved in something called the Rotfang Conspiracy!" The vampire chortled.

"…May I see Harry?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

Alucard looked at Integra, who nodded. Alucard then said, "Certainly. But don't be surprised if he gets a touch obstreperous with you. Apparently you've been keeping him in the dark. And the thing you have to understand that sometimes, when people are kept in the dark, they take something of it into themselves…"

* * *

The reunion between Harry and Dumbledore was amusing, Alucard thought. Understandably, the young boy snarled at him in righteous anger. It took a while for Dumbledore to get a word in edgewise, eventually explaining the reason why he had left Harry with the Dursleys.

Namely, blood wards.

Alucard knew quite a bit about magic, having eaten more than a few mages and having studied many branches of magic, usually out of boredom. Blood magic was one of his favourite areas. Not surprising, considering what he was. And blood wards were a decent reason for Harry staying with the Dursleys. Not a truly _good_ reason by any means, given what the Dursleys were like, but blood wards were a protection that would be quite good…

If Harry was actually related to the late and unlamented Petunia Dursley.

When Alucard dropped that particular bombshell, Dumbledore and Harry looked shell-shocked. "What?" Dumbledore asked in a lost voice.

"I have considerable reason to believe that Lily Potter and Petunia Dursley were no more related than you are related to Harry," Alucard said. "It's a moot point now that Petunia is dead, of course."

"What do you mean, my mother wasn't related to my aunt? How can you know?!" Harry demanded, his eyes briefly flickering from green to red. Thankfully, Dumbledore and Andromeda Tonks, who was still present, didn't notice.

"Boy, I am a vampire who is centuries old. Let's just say that I have a number of means. I don't know for sure, but it seems that Albus here may have been working under a misapprehension." Alucard could tell, by the bloom of dawning horror on his face, that Dumbledore had actually believed that.

"You mean," Harry said with anger welling up within, "that I didn't have to live with the Dursleys?!"

Dumbledore had no defence to that. His face was filled with horror, self-reproach, and guilt. Alucard, meanwhile, looked at Dumbledore with a merry grin, and said, "As the Americans would say, Albus, you done goofed. Should've done the research, old chap."

Dumbledore eventually found his voice. "But…if Lily and Petunia weren't blood relatives, why didn't they tell me?" Putting a hand to his head, he muttered, "I need to think on this. Harry, I know it will be a while before you can forgive me. But know that it will be far longer before I can forgive myself." Upon seeing Harry's scowl, Dumbledore nodded, acknowledging Harry didn't wish to talk to him any further, or even listen. "I should go. Take care, Harry. I will see you later, Andromeda, to see what defence we can muster for this hearing Fudge and Umbridge are insisting on. Harry, the only thing that I ask is that you forgive your friends for what I asked them to do. I thought it necessary to give you your space, when in reality, you needed someone to talk to. I will be sending them over if they are willing to venture here."

Harry didn't say anything, but he waved in sullen dismissal. Dumbledore nodded, and then took his leave of them. Soon, Andromeda Tonks soon left. Then, Harry turned on Alucard, a new target for his anger, despite the fact he was losing his temper at an ancient vampire who could probably tear him limb from limb. That fact amused Alucard immensely. "How the hell do you know my mother wasn't related to Petunia?"

"The same reason that you drink blood. I spotted you doing so last night," Alucard said with a smirk. "Your mother was a trueborn vampire, not one born of drinking blood, but rather, because she was sired by two vampires. And you, Harry Potter, are none other than a dhampir, a half-vampire hybrid." As shock bloomed over Harry's face, Alucard concluded, "And you know what? I've got the feeling having you around here is going to be so much _fun_ …"

 **CHAPTER 4 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter. This is the last one for this update.**

 **1\. Andromeda Tonks' profession is delightfully vague in canon, but she is often portrayed as a lawyer in a number of fanfics, so I thought she would be in this as well.**


	6. Chapter 5: Heart to Hearts

**CHAPTER 5:**

 **HEART TO HEARTS**

Harry stared at the wall, long after Alucard left the room. It had been a long morning. Okay, Scrimgeour and Bones were pretty tough with their interrogations, but tough in a way that suggested that they were trying to get to the truth. They certainly looked at him with a touch more respect when he said he would testify to everything under Veritaserum. Including Voldemort's resurrection. Andromeda Tonks remained with him, and was careful to remind the two representatives of the DMLE of their bounds.

However, the three of them also told him a hard truth: despite all of this, Fudge was an extremely stubborn man, and had been in the pocket of many Death Eaters. What was more, he was afraid of Dumbledore backstabbing him, a notion even Scrimgeour, who wasn't fond of Dumbledore, found utterly ludicrous. And Fudge, sadly, listened mostly to Dolores Umbridge, who was an outspoken woman who was apparently manoeuvring herself to assume the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts professor at Hogwarts.

" _And if she's qualified to teach DADA_ ," Scrimgeour had remarked, " _I'll eat my hat! She's no Death Eater, but only because she wants to avoid trouble! She'd gladly sabotage the DADA teaching at Hogwarts, partly to stymie Dumbledore and partly to help the Death Eaters. Sadly, that bitch is also a canny politician._ "

What was more, Fudge would be trying to make sure Harry would be expelled from Hogwarts, if only because it meant crippling Dumbledore, who championed Harry. Cheddar handed Fudge and Umbridge what they wanted on a silver platter, and only some manoeuvring from Dumbledore managed to defer the expulsion to a hearing. A hearing which, if Bones, Scrimgeour, and Andromeda were any judges on the matter, would be more of a kangaroo court meant to expel Harry publicly after a token hearing. Even the fact that they had the bodies of two Death Eaters meant little, and the word of Sir Integra meant little either: few wizards respected the Hellsing Organisation, believing it to be a dark organisation led by a line founded by a Squib (which Abraham van Helsing was).

And, of course, his angry outburst at Dumbledore, interrupted by his attempt at explaining why he had been left with the Dursleys, only for Alucard to put his tuppence worth in. Harry felt more angry at Dumbledore than he ever had. Dumbledore did offer one last bit of advice, one that Harry would take once he had calmed down. He would try to forgive his friends. But for the moment, he wasn't sure if he could forgive Dumbledore. Not yet, anyway

And then, Alucard's last revelation, that final piece of the puzzle that was his life: the revelation that he was a dhampir, a half-vampire, half-human hybrid. He had only heard of them a couple of times in those books. As he thought about it, he took, almost absent-mindedly, a bag of blood from his mokeskin pouch, and began sucking on it. If Alucard knew, had he told Integra?

As if bidden by the very thought, there was a knock on the door. He didn't bother hiding the blood bag. "Come in," he said.

Integra came in, looking a little tired. "So, Alucard told you?" she said, looking pointedly at the blood bag.

"I could say the same thing."

"If you're wondering whether I consider you an enemy, forget it. Your actions in Cheddar last night, never mind those before this, show you to be nothing Hellsing should concern itself with," Integra said with a magnanimous wave of a gloved hand. "I have one vampire on my staff as my chief vampire hunter, and Seras will make another."

"Speaking of which," Harry said, trying to change the subject, "is Alucard his real name? Or is he actually Count Dracula? I mean, the reversed name is a bit obvious, isn't it?"

Integra raised an eyebrow, before nodding. "Bram Stoker got the idea for his story from the adventure my ancestor ended up in. Dracula wasn't actually killed by van Helsing, but rather was defeated, and eventually submitted. Since then, he has worked for this organisation since its inception, under the name of 'Alucard'. He is a highly dangerous individual, which is why we have put restraints on his full power. He can release some of the restraints himself temporarily when fighting a powerful opponent, but make no mistake, even when under restraint, he is more powerful than any non-enhanced human being, magical or not. Alucard has centuries of experience with warfare, and decades of experimentation by Hellsing to further augment his abilities, and he is, in all likelihood, immortal in a way even other vampires aren't. In truth, I think he only really serves us partly out of respect for Abraham van Helsing, and partly out of boredom."

"Merlin…one of the most powerful, if not THE most powerful vampires ever to have lived, and he serves you out of boredom." Harry blinked, remembering his snarky remarks last night. "The scariest thing? That makes way too much sense."

"Indeed. Dumbledore met him during the Second World War. Dumbledore, at the time, was trying to deal with Gellert Grindlewald, a former friend turned into a deadly enemy. Alucard and Walter were working against a group of Nazis experimenting with various supernatural creatures. Both were already feared for the carnage they caused on the battlefield. Alucard in particular revelled in it. But enough about him. For the moment, Dumbledore has agreed to leave you in my care. During this time, I would like you to not only train with us, but also to help Miss Victoria during her transition."

"Because becoming a vampire is hardly an easy task, right?"

"Yes. While Alucard is perhaps the best person to teach her how to use her vampirism, you might be the best one who can help her come to terms with it. You already seem to have become used to drinking blood, and it is entirely optional for you. It might also interest you to know that she shares a not-dissimilar experience to you."

"Why is that?"

"I had the police fax me over her files this morning(1). She has no next of kin or friends. You wouldn't know it to look at her. Her father was a policeman, who went undercover. Sadly, that cover was blown, and he was attacked and murdered by a gang of thugs, along with his wife. Seras was hiding in a cupboard when it happened, and witnessed one of the thugs defiling her mother's corpse," Integra said, scowling in disgust, a scowl matched on Harry's face. "Like you, she knows the pain of having family stolen from her, though you never knew your parents. She grew up something of a problem child, until she resolved to honour her father's memory and join the police."

"And look where it got her now: vampirised and conscripted into Hellsing," Harry muttered.

"It is just as well. In a country under the jurisdiction of Iscariot, she would have been hunted down regardless," Integra said.

"Iscariot?"

Integra sighed, obviously realising that Harry didn't know. "Section XIII of the Vatican's intelligence and military department. Section XIII shouldn't exist, but does. Iscariot is full of fanatics, sent to deal with enemies of the Catholic Church. They're the Vatican's vampire hunters, amongst other things. And dhampirs are tarred with the same brush, as far as they are concerned. They've also targeted wizards and witches, which is part of the reason the Statute of Secrecy exists. One of the reasons Voldemort gained respect amongst his followers was that he was infamously able to kill several of Iscariot's top assassins sent to kill him while he was on the Continent recruiting followers. In any case, I would like you to find a way to get her onto drinking blood. She strikes me as the sort who would only do so under duress."

"Well, she's only just been turned, right? How do I do that?"

"Like I said, you two have some common ground. In my position, I have to be seen as a commander of Hellsing first and foremost," Integra said. "And Alucard is not the most nurturing of people. At times, he can be surprisingly and genuinely kind, but those are mere glimmers in the cruelty and malice he more frequently shows."

"Apropos of nothing, how did you end up being his master?"

Integra raised an eyebrow, before she sat down next to Harry on the bed. "I was only twelve when my father died ten years ago. My uncle soon tried to murder me, while Walter was abroad, in order to take my position. My father told me where to find Alucard, though he never told me we had a vampire in this organisation. What I found was a desiccated corpse. My uncle soon found me, calling me his 'little Fraulein', and shot me. Non-fatally, as he intended to torture me for leading him on a merry chase throughout this estate. However, Alucard was splashed with the blood, and began drinking it. Upon being revived, he attacked my uncle's accomplices, killing them and drinking their blood, but Alucard then bowed to me, calling me Master. My uncle tried to kill me once more, but Alucard blocked it, and I used the gun of one of my uncle's accomplices to kill my uncle."

Harry blinked, before saying, "I reckon if my uncle could have gotten away with killing me, he would have done it."

"Well, he didn't. And you are alive to speak of such things," Integra said.

"…Is it wrong that I don't feel much guilt over their deaths?"

"Harry…you did nothing that led to their deaths, and they were somewhat abhorrent human beings in many regards. And it may simply because it hasn't quite sunken in. As long as you don't go about celebrating their deaths, I don't mind that you feel little guilt. Your status as a dhampir does not make you any less human. It is your character, what you do with such powers, that determines that."

Harry laughed bitterly, quoting what Quirrell had claimed to be Voldemort's creed back in his first year. " _There is only power, and those too weak to seek it_ ," he muttered. "He's wrong. It's what you do with power."

"Indeed." Integra looked at her watch. "While Seras will be less active during the day, the fact that Alucard turned her means she may be awake even now. She will have to stay indoors, obviously, and out of any direct sunlight. She won't need as much sleep now, and it will be mostly during the day, but it will take some time for her body to get used to her new cycle. I'll have Walter take you down."

* * *

While on the way down to seeing Seras, Harry had an interesting conversation with Walter. Apparently, the butler used to be one of Hellsing's most feared vampire hunters, even called the Angel of Death. He was particularly noted for using a kind of weaponised monofilament wire to great effect, and Harry wondered that, if he did decide to work for Hellsing, whether he could train in using those, to supplement his magic.

He was led into the bedroom, where Seras, as Integra predicted, was awake, albeit in a dishevelled way that suggested she'd rather be asleep. Her blonde hair stuck out a little messily. She was no longer dressed in her uniform, but rather, in surprisingly cute pyjamas, which also showed off her buxom figure in ways that had Harry hastily strangling the impulse to stare. "Mornin'," she murmured blearily.

"Sleep all right?" Harry asked.

"Hell no," Seras muttered. "Had more than a few nightmares, and then I wake up to Alucard grinning down at me like he's Jack the bloody Ripper."

"Right sort of guy, but wrong historical figure," Harry said.

After Walter made his excuses and left, Seras asked Harry, "What d'you want anyway, Harry?"

He had a few things to discuss. During his walk down with Walter, he realised that he felt a little responsible for Seras' predicament. "Well, first things first: I'm sorry that I dragged you into this."

"What? Why would you say that? Harry, I was one of the police officers in Cheddar. It was our duty to help. What happened wasn't your fault."

"But if the Death Eaters didn't get involved, Agnew might still be alive."

After a moment, Seras said, "Look, I don't blame you for that one bit. And if you think I blame you for Alucard making me a vampire, I don't. If anything, I'm, well, grateful to be still alive, even if it's as Alucard's fledgling. I'm grateful you tried to help us. Believe me, if anything, I should be saying sorry. I felt so useless against those ghouls and Death Eaters, never mind against that vampire."

Harry sat down next to her on the bed. "I guess we both have a saving people thing, eh?"

"I guess so. I mean, look at you. You're fifteen, if what Alucard said is true. I'm only four years older. You shouldn't have gone through what you did. I know I certainly did. My parents were murdered by some criminals my dad was investigating. He was in the police too."

"Integra told me. She got the files from the police," Harry said quietly. "It was sickening."

Seras looked at him, before down at the floor for quite a while before she spoke again. In a rough voice, mimicking a crudely-speaking man, she said, " _So what if she's dead? She's still_ _ **warm.**_ " A strangled noise of disgust burst from between her lips. "I saw that bastard rape my mother's corpse. I wanted to stop things like that from happening ever again if I could. And now, I'm a monster."

Harry chuckled darkly. "Seras…if you're a monster, what does that make me?" As she turned to stare at him, he explained, "Remember how my eyes turned red sometimes? Turns out, we're not that different. According to Alucard, I'm a dhampir. Half-human, half-vampire." He had his mokeskin bag with him, and pulled out a Blood Pop, and began sucking on it. "Most of the power, with none of the weaknesses, as far as I can tell."

"Oh." Seras blinked, unable to think of what to say to that. Then, she asked, "What's that?"

"Wizard candy," Harry said, pulling another one out, and unwrapping it, handing it to her. She took it, shrugged, and began sucking on it, soon doing so eagerly.

After she was finished, she said, "Wow, that was…weird-tasting, but it tasted so good. What was it?"

"A Blood Pop," Harry said with a smirk worthy of the Marauders. "Made with real blood." On seeing Seras' disgusted look, Harry said, "Look, Seras, you're a vampire now. I've studied the lore, and sadly, eating normal food's going to be nearly impossible for you now. If you have issues about drinking donated blood like Hellsing doubtless has in stock, then just suck on one of these until you get used to it. It's better than nothing."

Seras frowned. "I know, it's just…I'm worried that if I drink blood…I'll lose a vital part of me."

"Seras, I've been drinking blood for a couple of years now, from blood bags. I don't feel any less human," Harry said quietly. He gently reached into the bag, and pulled out a blood bag, and gently handed it to her. "I understand that you don't want to become a monster. But you're no longer fully human. You can still remain human where it counts." He tapped her forehead. "You just remember that you chose to live as a vampire rather than die. And as you're a vampire, you need to drink blood. Better to drink it from a willing donor than to be a vicious predator who cares nothing for morality. Seras…I'll help you however I can. I promise you that."

Seras blinked, and then looked at the blood bag he had given to her. With the utmost reluctance, she uncapped the little tube, almost like a straw, and hesitantly brought it to her full lips. It took her a moment to begin sucking. Once the blood reached her mouth, her eyes widened, and she began sucking the blood down harder, like a man dying of thirst getting his first drink of water in a very long time. Her moans of pleasure as she drank were disturbingly sensuous. She didn't stop drinking until the bag was empty of all but the dregs. After she had finished, she murmured, "The most frightening about that is…it tasted better than anything I ever have tasted in my life."

"Yeah. It did, didn't it?"

* * *

Looking on, stifling an urge to chuckle (and thus blow his cover), Alucard looked on. What a wonderful trick Harry played to get Seras to have her first blood, even through something like a Blood Pop! And to be able to persuade her to take her first draught of pure blood…Alucard's opinion of Harry went up some more. He thought Seras would be resistant to the idea of drinking blood. But Harry used his own dhampir nature to persuade her to do so.

Of course, the fact that Harry said she could remain moral was more than a little laughable. On more than one occasion, jobs turned up at Hellsing that meant morality had to be discarded, left by the wayside. Still, it was a nice bit of rhetoric if nothing else.

It was also rather disturbing to hear what had happened to Seras. While he didn't hear the full details, as Harry had clearly been briefed by Integra, Alucard didn't need to make that much of a guess. Those vile pieces of excrement (not even dogs or trash) had ruined the life of a girl, and one of them had performed necrophilia in front of her. Alucard idly considered whether he should see if they were still alive, preferably in prison (easier to track down that way), and show them that they were mere amateurs in the arts of atrocity. He had developed a certain whimsy, which was part of the reason he had turned Seras, and while he had done worse things than these idiots had ever done, he did find himself taking offence all the same, if only because of the pain done to his new fledgling.

Still, there was something further to consider. Harry's scent was bugging Alucard. There was something familiar to it, more so than the dhampir aspect of it. It was maddening, like an itch in his head that he couldn't scratch.

But why?

He felt like the answer was perhaps somewhat vital. He just needed to find what it was…

 **CHAPTER 5 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **A nice, long chapter for you guys. Hope you enjoyed it. But in case you're wondering, I'm not shipping Harry with Seras. They'll be more like little brother/big sister in terms of relationships. I'm considering shipping him with either Hermione or (and this is the stronger contender) Luna.**

 **There's also some foreshadowing regarding Alucard. This is due to what sakurademonalchemist told me about Lily's parentage.**

 **Anyway, I'm frankly astonished at how popular this story has become. It got nearly 5K views on the first day, and is now up to 10K views. There are 11 C2s, over 350 alerts, and nearly 40 reviews. Hope you enjoy this new chapter. Don't expect the next one any time soon, though.**

 **Before I get to answering the reviews, I thought I'd do some shameless plugging. This chapter has been uploaded as part of an unofficial update for some stories I managed to do some chapters for. The reason is that** ** _Final Fantasy IX_** **has finally been released on Steam, and so, there's an emphasis on** ** _Final Fantasy_** **updates in general, and** ** _Final Fantasy IX_** **in particular. I have updated my Harry Potter and** ** _Final Fantasy IX_** **crossovers** ** _A Third Summoner_** **and** ** _Xenophilia_** **, along with two new chapters for my first pure** ** _Final Fantasy IX_** **fanfic,** ** _Raison d'Etre_** **. In addition, the first chapter of a new story, the first crossover between** ** _Final Fantasy IX_** **and** ** _Highschool DxD_** **will be posted:** ** _Black Mage of Kuoh_** **. I have also updated** ** _Nitimur in Vetitum_** **(a Harry Potter/** ** _Final Fantasy XII_** **crossover) with the craziest chapter yet, and no less than three chapters for** ** _Mnemosyne's Son_** **(Harry Potter/** ** _Final Fantasy VIII_** **), along with my latest Harry Potter/** ** _Final Fantasy VII_** **crossover,** ** _Vert the Emerald and the Cetra Heritage_** **. Finally,** ** _Observations of a Wannabe Kunoichi_** **, a Sakura-centric** ** _Naruto_** **fanfic and one of my most-viewed stories, will receive its 35** **th** **chapter, and will surpass** ** _Harry Potter and the Cetra Heritage_** **as my second most-viewed fic.**

 **Review-answering time!** **jgkitarel** **: Remember that Harry is not completely human from the get-go. While Harry won't be able to, say, fight toe-to-toe with Alucard, the Valentines or most of what Millennium can throw at him, he will be able to do more than you think.**

 **diagonalpumpkin** **: It's Curtis 'Takahata101' Arnott's delivery that cinches it. He's a brilliant Alucard, which is one of the reasons** ** _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_** **captured my imagination. I think making Alucard a bit more funny actually adds something to his character, because you see parts of it in the manga/OVAs (like his infamous line to Luke Valentine: 'You were more a piece of shit than a man. Now you're dog shit'), and I think that having an ancient vampire be a gadfly/troll is actually quite an interesting characterisation. Must be why Zelretch is so popular. Have there been any fanfics where Zelretch and Alucard meet?**

 **Raidentensho** **: See above.**

 **sakurademonalchemist** **: I hope I do you proud.**

 **TJG** **: I haven't considered how to deal with the Horcrux issue yet. However, Harry, if he ever devours every last drop of blood from a victim, would have the same thing as both Alucard and Seras.**

 **newerher** **: 0_0 No. Just,** ** _no_** **. I don't write slash. It isn't my thing. I think there's at least one such fic you can peruse if you need to get your Alucard/Harry fix.**

 **Kid Coheed** **: Never tell me who to ship who with who. I am the author. I might still look into dhampir abilities, though.**

 **Guest** **: 'Haemophilia', the name for the blood disease, is derived from the Greek words meaning 'blood' and 'love'. In other words, it means 'a love of blood', hence my use for the title. I was using the very literal meaning of the word. If you don't believe me, use Wikipedia.**

 **1\. I thought that Integra would endeavour to learn everything she could about Seras as soon as she could. She probably had the files faxed over while waiting for Dumbledore.**


	7. Chapter 6: Absent Friends

**CHAPTER 6:**

 **ABSENT FRIENDS**

Dumbledore, after some discussion (not just with the Order of the Phoenix, but with Bones and Scrimgeour at the DMLE), eventually decided not just to send Ron, Hermione, Remus and Sirius, but Mad-Eye Moody as well. Bones and Scrimgeour were aware that Moody was a member of the Order (though they only suspected 'Don't Call Me Nymphadora' Tonks, and were unaware of Kingsley Shacklebolt), so they told Dumbledore to send the paranoid but skilled ex-Auror to Hellsing. Moody had also encountered Alucard in the past, and so knew what to expect.

Of the quintet sent to Hellsing, only Ron seemed truly leery of going. It took Hermione browbeating him into wanting to apologise that he agreed to go. After all, he had heard horror stories of Hellsing growing up, and their pet vampire, Alucard. Hermione herself was apprehensive, but she found it fascinating too, and was looking forward to meeting Sir Integra, a woman who had risen high at such a young age. Hermione had first heard of Hellsing back during her third year (it was one of the few things from Muggle Studies she hadn't heard of), and had researched the organisation and its head. Already, she had grown to admire Sir Integra, and was actually somewhat excited to meet her.

Remus was also apprehensive. After all, vampires and werewolves famously didn't get alone. Dumbledore had reassured him that Alucard was willing to tolerate his presence. Of course, his desire to see Harry overrode such concerns. As for Sirius, the thought of sanctuary here was too good to give up.

They tumbled out of the Floo, and straightened themselves. Ron looked around the opulent room in awe. "Wow, this is posh!" he murmured. "This is the sort of thing you'd expect a Pureblood to have, not a Squib line like the van Helsings."

"Ron, quiet. We're guests in their house, we don't want to be rude," Hermione rebuked the redhead softly.

"But where's the reception committee?" Sirius asked.

Moody was silent, but Sirius and Remus could tell he was being watchful. In fact, his magical eye had stopped moving as it often did, focusing on a wall shrouded in shadows…

" _HEY KIDS! WANNA SEE A DEAD BODY?!_ " roared a voice from the shadows, a red-clad figure partly emerged from the wall. Ron and Hermione shrieked, the two Marauders yelped in fright. Only Mad-Eye Moody seemed to be less than startled, though he frowned when he heard laughter not just from the vampire who was currently emerging from the wall, but from a nearby corner.

Then, two people emerged from beneath an Invisibility Cloak in that corner, laughing. One of them was Harry, while the other was a buxom young woman, barely out of her teens at most, with blonde hair, blue eyes, and a mustard yellow uniform.

" _Harry James Potter!_ " Hermione shrieked. "What in Merlin's name did you do that for?!"

Harry merely continued laughing. The vampire in red finished walking through the wall, and said, "Oh, that never gets old." He sniffed the air. "Oh, and one of them pissed himself a little. The one who smells of mangy old dog."

"Bite me," Sirius snarked.

"Oh, that can be arranged," the vampire said, grinning, and showing off his impressive collection of fangs. "Or maybe I should have you meet Baskerville. Figure out what the canine pecking order should be. Anyway, young Harry here decided to have me greet you, as a form of retribution for keeping him in the dark. You know, leaving him alone when he needed support." He held up a hand. "Yes, yes, I know, that old fart Dumbledore told you not to owl him, partly because he didn't want your letters to be traced. Why not use normal Muggle mail?"

"I sent him those journals by mail," Hermione protested.

"And nothing else. At least Harry's willing to forgive you, but he decided a bit of revenge is in order. And, well, immortality gets a bit dull when you're a vampire. I enjoy messing with people."

"Sounds like you'd be an honorary Marauder," Sirius remarked, trying to regain his dignity. "What would we call you? Fangs?"

"Hmm…you know, of late, I've wanted to be called the Crimson Fucker," the vampire said, before bowing. "But where are my manners? I am Alucard, chief vampire hunter and garbage disposal expert for Hellsing. You all know Harry Potter, and this rather buxom Police Girl is Seras Victoria, my fledgling."

"She's a vampire too?" Ron yelped.

"She was only recently turned, Ron," Harry spoke up at last. "She got into trouble helping me. Alucard turned her in order to save her life."

Hermione went up to Seras with surprisingly little fear, instead peering at the new vampire with curiosity. After a moment, she asked, "What does it feel like?"

"Weird and disturbing. Better than dying, though," Seras admitted. "It's been a hell of a couple of days. Got attacked by ghouls, found out wizards and witches exist, saw my partner being killed by a curse that sounds like Abra-bloody-kadabra, got threatened with rape and death by a homicidal vampire priest, who copped a feel when he held me hostage, got shot through the heart, and he's to blame…" Seras jerked a thumb at Alucard. "And he turned me into a vampire, and he's now my Master. Oh, and I've been conscripted into a monster-hunting organisation. It's quite a lot to take in."

"Technically, Police Girl, though I appreciate the Bon Jovi reference, I shot you through your _lung_ ," Alucard said. "It's just that the Casull does some pretty heavy damage when it hits flesh, even if you're not a vampire. I mean, I'm sure you saw the splatter pattern from Lucius Malfoy's brains hitting the wall. I'm surprised he had that much in his skull."

"So you killed Lucius Malfoy, huh?" Moody asked, looking at Alucard. "Good riddance. Gonna piss off Voldemort something fierce, though."

"I live to piss people off," Alucard said, his grin widening. "It rivals killing them as a pastime. At least with annoying people, you can do it again and again, and again."

"So…he's your Master?" Hermione asked Seras. On seeing her nod, she murmured sympathetically, "I don't envy you, Miss Victoria."

"Hey, call me Seras. So, who're you, anyway?"

"Ah. Seras, this is Hermione Granger. The ginger is Ron Weasley. The guy who looks like Frankenstein's Monster with a weird eye is 'Mad-Eye' Moody. The one who peed himself is my godfather Sirius Black, and the other guy is Remus Lupin," Harry said.

"Ah, the werewolf," Alucard said. "I was warned you might be coming around. I've always wanted to shove a silver stake up Fenrir Greyback's alimentary canal."

After a moment, Remus said, "Can I help?"

"Hmm? Oh, so you are one of those he infected. I'll consider it, should he ever show his face," Alucard said with a grin.

The door opened, and Hermione watched as a woman in her early twenties with dark skin and blonde hair, blue eyes flashing from behind glasses, and dressed in an immaculate suit, entered. Nearby was a tall, thin older man in an immaculate outfit, dark trousers, waistcoat, and a white shirt, along with a monocle. "Have you worked the levity out of your system yet, Alucard?"

"I have more, Master, but please, go ahead," Alucard said.

"Sir Integra Hellsing, I presume?" Sirius asked.

Integra nodded. "And you are Sirius Black. I have met Alastor Moody before. It's good to see you again, Auror Moody."

"You too, Hellsing," Moody said. "Last time I saw you, you'd only just woken Alucard."

Integra nodded in acknowledgement. She then turned to the others. "May I have your names?"

"Hermione Granger, Sir Integra," Hermione said with a curtsey.

"Ron Weasley," Ron said.

"Remus Lupin, Sir Integra," Remus said.

"Walter, can we have some tea for our guests, please? As well as…refreshments for Alucard and Seras. I rarely entertain guests outside of the societal strata I must move through out of necessity." After a moment, she said, "We don't require one for Auror Moody, though. He rarely takes any food or drink beyond that prepared by himself."

"Very well, Sir Integra," Walter said with a bow, before leaving.

"That's what is needed for constant vigilance," Moody growled, uncapping a flask and taking a swig from it. "You're lucky I spotted your vampire about to go through the wall, and Potter and Miss Victoria under the Cloak. Otherwise, this room would be in rather appalling condition by now. In any case, I will cook my own meals."

"He's afraid of getting poisoned," Harry said quietly to a puzzled Seras.

"Umm, isn't that a bit paranoid?"

"Missy, it's only paranoia when they _aren't_ out to get you," Moody growled back.

"Barty Crouch Junior being a case in point," Sirius remarked.

"Seras, Alastor Moody is one of the Aurors," Integra said. "He is known as 'Mad-Eye' for both his eye, as well as his paranoia, which is founded in many regards: more than a few Death Eaters have targeted him in revenge for his feats. He's one of the best they have, paranoia aside, but he was retired a couple of years ago, although he has worked as an instructor."

"Just as well, given the Defence Against the Dark Arts teachers we've had lately," Moody growled. "Lupin and Crouch were the only competent ones, and I can't believe I'm calling that Death Eater a competent teacher! And Dumbledore thought it a good idea to hire Lockhart so that he could expose him! I tell you, Dumbledore's going soft in the head."

"We still need him, should Voldemort re-emerge," Integra said. "Please, this way."

* * *

They were led to a drawing room, and, with the exception of Alucard and Moody, were soon seated, though Sirius discreetly cast some cleaning and drying charms on his clothes beforehand. Soon, Walter came in with the tea. Eventually, Hermione took the initiative, and said, "Harry…we're sorry for keeping you in the dark."

As she opened her mouth to continue, Harry held up a hand. "It's fine. I'm still angry with you guys, but…Dumbledore asked me to forgive you guys, because it was his idea for you to not send mail to me. It's going to be some time before I can forgive him, given the stuff I've learnt, but I can forgive you. We'll just have to find ways of communicating that Voldemort can't intercept. I'd probably have to live elsewhere, now that staying with the Dursleys seems to be a moot point."

"Thank Merlin for that," Sirius muttered.

"Until this hearing business is sorted out, and Harry returns to Hogwarts, he will be staying here," Integra said.

"With vampires?!" Ron yelped, looking rather pale, making his freckles stand out even more.

"Alucard's entertaining, I'll give him that," Harry said. "Scary, but entertaining. And Seras…she's pretty new to the whole 'drinking blood' thing. I mean, it was my fault she had to be turned in the first place."

"Harry, you don't need to blame yourself," Seras said. "I don't. Anyway, I'm alive. Or undead. Or whatever it is."

"It's life, of a sort, and you chose it over death, Police Girl," Alucard remarked.

"I trust Alucard with my life, Ron Weasley," Integra said. "He saved my life when I first found him. He is a monster, to be honest, but he does not hide what he is. He may be on the side of angels, so to speak, but he is not one himself. But he also fights what all humans, wizards or not, fear. Call them vampires, midians, Malakh(1), whatever their name, if they prey on humans, we destroy them. Werewolves as well. And it may soon become Hellsing's remit to go after the Death Eaters."

Sirius looked at Alucard, before he said, "Speaking as someone who has fought the buggers before…can I give you some ideas on how to humiliate them?"

"If they're interesting and/or funny enough, I will listen," Alucard ceded.

Ron looked over at Harry. "Blimey, mate, you're going to be living in a nuthouse."

"Don't you? I mean, with Fred and George involved?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, but…well, ah, never mind. I'm glad that you're okay."

"So am I," Hermione said. She then looked over at Integra. "Sir Integra…what's it like being in charge of Hellsing?"

Integra considered this, before glancing at Alucard, who had a smirk on his face. Integra then said, completely deadpan, "Sometimes, it's like a very dangerous babysitting job."

"Master, I have nearly five and a half centuries on you. If anything, it's the other way around. Remember how cute you used to be when you first woke me up?" He grinned, knowing that he was annoying her.

"See what I have to put up with?" Integra asked.

"Oh dear Merlin, he's a vampire version of Fred and George," Ron muttered. And with that pronouncement, Ron and Hermione felt an impending sense of doom…

* * *

There were many wizarding families in the village of Ottery St Catchpole, and while odd by Muggle standards, the Lovegoods were odd, even by wizarding standards. In Muggle terms, Xenophilus Lovegood would be considered a cryptozoologist, chasing after fantastic beasts that probably didn't exist. But even he paled in comparison to his daughter, Luna.

Luna often spoke of creatures even wizards didn't believe exist. Many of those who knew her considered her a lunatic, despite having been Sorted into Ravenclaw. Her friends were few, with one of them being Ginny Weasley, who lived not far from the Lovegood home, the Rookery. Most thought that a good chunk of her extreme eccentricity came from witnessing her mother perish. This was partly the truth.

The thing about Luna was that just because she spoke regularly about bizarre creatures and entities, didn't mean that none of them existed. Take, for example, one of her few friends. A friend that even her father thought was imaginary, one she had made up in the wake of her mother's death.

But Cheshire, as Luna had dubbed him, was not an imaginary friend by any means.

As she sat under a tree, proofreading the latest edition of The Quibbler, Cheshire arrived, as he often did, all of a sudden. " _Guten Tag,_ Luna," he said with a fanged smile, his voice having a distinctive Teutonic accent.

"Oh, hi, Cheshire," Luna said, looking up at the teenaged boy who had appeared next to her. A teenaged boy dressed in a militaristic shirt and shorts. A uniform that would have been disturbingly familiar to anyone familiar with uniforms of the Second World War. That of the _Hitlerjugend_ , or the Hitler Youth, an organisation that was supposed to have died with the Nazis. "You haven't come here lately."

" _Ja_ , well, the Major and the Doctor have been running experiments. Trying to ensure I am under their control," Cheshire said with a shrug. His shaggy mop of blonde hair (with a pair of cat ears poking out) framed an almost feminine face, pinkish purple eyes twinkling in a boyishly-mischievous way.

"Well, they're very mean to you, Cheshire. I hope you don't get into trouble because you see me."

Cheshire shrugged again. " _Warum soll man sich denn Sorgen Machen…auf dieser Walt, oder in der nächsten(_ _2)_ _?_ " In English, he said, "They're taking a greater interest in your world, you know. The Major met Grindlewald. You should be careful, Luna."

"I am. Actually, one of our subscribers recently wrote to us asking for an interview," Luna said. "He sometimes corresponds with arguments against the Rotfang Conspiracy. You told me it was your destiny to sacrifice yourself to kill him, actually."

"Him? You mean… _Alucard_ reads _The Quibbler?_ "

"Yes. Rather funny for a vampire who was once Vlad the Impaler," Luna remarked. "Maybe you could be friends, actually. He'd love to catch up with someone from Millennium, I'm sure."

Cheshire, or rather, Schrödinger, felt a slight chill run down his spine at the thought. He knew exposing Millennium so early would not go down well. Technically, he was everywhere and nowhere, immortal in a way he was sure that Voldemort would dearly want. But even so, he knew that the Major and the Doctor had measures to ensure his loyalty. Only this girl, whom he accidentally made contact with in the aftermath of her mother's passing, kept the indoctrination from taking hold. Not that he recognised it at first. It's just that this girl's mind was so wonderfully open and free, a place of colour and scent and song, it was like a refreshing breath of the cleanest air. And there was something else about her that was strange, something he was sure many organisations would be too interested in.

And she treated him like a friend, no, like a brother she never had, not a pet. He had helped her retrieve items stolen from her by 'Nargles' at Hogwarts (well, bullies, anyway). He had once successfully distracted Peeves when the poltergeist nearly ran into Luna while she was wandering the halls after curfew. And he had once given that old cat-lady McGonagall such a fright by poking her in the back and then vanishing when she whirled to face him.

But now that he had a taste for freedom, he was now sure it was going to be taken from him. And going anywhere near Alucard before the Major's insane plan began would be the catalyst. Ironic, for a being who could be anywhere and nowhere, he was actually afraid of going to certain places.

But then, he steeled himself. Schrödinger was Luna's friend, a brother in all but blood, helping her with her troubles when he could. And that meant he intended to face whatever travails she encountered. Even if one of them was Alucard…

 **CHAPTER 6 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **And there you have it. Not only some quality time with Alucard, the Golden Trio, and the remnant of the Marauders, but also another** ** _Hellsing_** **character appearing early. Now, Schrödinger is going to be a good guy in this. I had been partly inspired by sakurademonalchemist's** ** _A Deal Made in Good Faith_** **, which, although primarily a Harry Potter/** ** _Supernatural_** **crossover, eventually crosses over into** ** _Hellsing_** **as well, with Schrödinger defecting to the female Harry's side. Schrödinger, for all his entertaining humour (witness his snark against the Major, even in canon), is not characterised as well as he could have been. Therefore, I'm making him a brother-figure to Luna. Once he fully defects over to Harry and Alucard's side, he'll ditch the Hitler Youth outfit.**

 **Review-answering time! For all of those wondering about the shipping, I'm pretty much set now on Harry and Luna. As for Harry learning how to use Walter's wires, yes, he will, as this was the case for** ** _It's in the Blood_** **. Finally, yes, Alucard is Harry's grandfather (though he doesn't know it yet). I had a confirmation about this from sakurademonalchemist. What she said about the grandmother, however, I couldn't quite discern, so the grandmother is not important.**

 **ShiroHollow96** **: Harry won't have that ability, not yet, with the shadow limbs. And who the hell is Hans?**

 **Call0013** **: In order of your questions: no, because he didn't drink the Basilisk's blood; no, though it would have been awesome; and WTF are you on?**

 **diagonalpumpkin** **: Of course. Integra sees a lot of herself in Harry. Despite her usual assuredness, she does have quite a few moments of self-doubt, so I think she can confide in Harry in ways she normally cannot confide in with Alucard, Seras, or even Walter. And yes, Seras will be a big sister figure to Harry, though at times, he acts like a big brother. But they're not immune to engaging in prankery, as you saw above.**

 **jayswing96** **: I like a Luna who is pretty eccentric, but knows when to be lucid. I enjoyed writing her for** ** _Truth and Consequences_** **, a post-canon (albeit non-epilogue compliant) story (and crossover with** ** _Fullmetal Alchemist_** **) where Harry and Luna are lovers. I think of Luna at times as being like the Doctor: genuinely eccentric and possibly mad, but often using that to make people underestimate them.**

 **Acolyte of the Blood Moon** **: Some of my stories have an evil or manipulative Dumbledore, but only when it suits the story. Most of the time, he is good, but misguided, and willing to try and make up for his mistakes.**

 **1\. 'Malakh' is the name given to vampires in the** ** _Doctor Who_** **spinoff book series** ** _Faction Paradox_** **.**

 **2\. This German phrase, I saw in the surviving second episode of** ** _The Quatermass Experiment_** **(yes, my username comes from somewhere), along with its remake in 2005. According to Doctor Briscoe, the phrase means, 'What does it matter, this world or the next?', and was used by a German-born astronaut who was worried about the safety of the spaceflight in the backstory.**


	8. Chapter 7: Moon, Cat, Grandfather

**CHAPTER 7:**

 **MOON, CAT, GRANDFATHER**

Hermione had opted to stay at Hellsing for a little while longer, even after Ron left for 12 Grimmauld Place once more, if only because it was so fascinating. Talking to Integra was actually quite fascinating: the leader of Hellsing never quite lost her formal demeanour, but she clearly recognised, if not a kindred spirit in Hermione, then someone who was genuinely interested in the organisation. The only thing Hermione didn't really like about Integra was her habit of smoking cigars. Although she said her parents were dentists, in truth, one of them was actually a maxillofacial surgeon, her father, and he had removed mouth cancers from many smokers.

The morning after their arrival at Hellsing, Hermione was having morning tea with Integra. "Where's Harry, Sir Integra?"

"As I said yesterday, when in private, you may call me Integra," Integra said. "And Harry is currently training with Alucard and Seras. Indeed, I believe Walter will be joining them shortly."

Hermione frowned. She remembered the dapper, thin butler, who had told her that he had once been one of Hellsing's top vampire hunters, so much so that he was known as 'the Angel of Death'. On her request, and with Integra's permission, he showed Hermione how he used monofilament wires with virtually supernatural skill, slicing apart a target dummy with ease. "Is Walter going to be teaching Harry how to use those wire things?"

"Walter is not getting any younger, and to tell the truth, I think he would love to have a student. The use of the wires takes significant skill, but I think Harry may be capable of using them. He was a Seeker in Quidditch games at Hogwarts, according to him. That means a keen eye and good reflexes, necessary for using those wires. In addition, because he is magical, we can obtain special metal for the wires that he can turn from sharp to dull instantly, and vice versa, using his magic. The Goblins are willing to forge such a thing, for the right price. As it happens, Gringotts is one of the few organisations in Magical Britain that Hellsing is on good terms with. It helps that Alucard is a formidable warrior. Goblins respect being treated with respect, and they respect strength. Of course, they also have odd ideas of ownership, particularly of Goblin-made items. They view them as being 'on loan'."

Hermione nodded, digesting the information. She decided to change the subject. "Alucard's…rather strange. When I first heard about him, and the fact that your organisation was established by none other than Abraham van Helsing himself, I thought he was Count Dracula. But…he's very…whimsical for an ancient vampire with such a dark reputation."

"Indeed he is," Integra said. "You have to remember that he is centuries old and immensely powerful. He would get bored. But make no mistake, Hermione, Alucard is a monster. He is my monster, but he is also, as you surmised, Count Dracula, the vampire who has inspired fear in many. Do not forget that. He is capable of being friendly with people, even joking with them, but if he is ever let off his leash, then God help us all. He serves me partly because of the restraints put on him by my predecessors, and partly because I have won his loyalty, and partly for the entertainment value. But I make sure not to forget what he is. In a way, that is why I feel that Seras, in at least one regard, is a godsend. So too is Harry. Alucard having 'projects' to work on helps. Seras is his fledgling, and Harry…has caught his interest for various reasons."

Hermione had to wonder why that was. Integra, seeing her expression, said, "Hermione, Harry is going through a tough time. He will confide to you in his own time what troubles him. Aside from his friends not contacting him."

* * *

Harry grimaced as he watched the indoor firing range get shredded up by the wires he was trying to manipulate. "It's all right, Harry," Walter said consolingly. "While I was considered a prodigy, even I didn't learn how to use the wires expertly straight away. Even a sword is easier. A sword or a knife has a relatively simple user interface, as computer scientists would have it: you hold the not-sharp end, and try to make sure the sharp end goes into a person. Of course, swordplay or knifefighting is difficult in reality."

"Tell me about it," Harry said. "I got lucky using the Sword of Gryffindor against a Basilisk."

"To kill one at your age is still an astonishing feat, lucky or not," Walter said. "Indeed, I find myself fortunate I have never fought one. This was more of a first try. Remove the glove carefully."

As he did so, and handed the glove, with the attached wires, back to Walter, the butler said, "Most firearms are useless against a vampire and their ghouls. However, the firearms we use at Hellsing either have blessed ammunition, high-explosive rounds, incendiary rounds, silver rounds, or something else. You have to remember that the strongest vampires can regenerate from most wounds, unless they were made from a silver weapon, or from blessed weapons. I have heard rumours that Alexander Anderson favours using silver bayonets that have been blessed."

"They would certainly give me trouble," Alucard remarked. "Keep that in mind, Police Girl," he added to Seras. "While it is doubtful we will come across vampires with such armaments, there's still a possibility that we may encounter operatives of Iscariot. And there are, of course, freelance vampire hunters, some of whom don't recognise the authority of either Hellsing or Iscariot. If I tell you to retreat telepathically, then there will be a good reason for that."

"Yes, Master," Seras said.

"Good. Now that training is over, I think I had better go to my little appointment."

"Come again?" Harry asked.

"Alucard has been in correspondence with those in charge of _The Quibbler_ for some time," Walter said. " _The Quibbler_ is a quaint magical newspaper that is not unlike…a tabloid magazine, filled with conspiracy theories and the like. Alucard finds it most entertaining. The auxiliary reporter of this periodical has apparently decided to interview Alucard regarding something called the Rotfang Conspiracy. Apparently she is, like you, a magical who attends Hogwarts."

"Is Sir Integra okay with that?" Harry asked.

"Sir Integra is well aware of this girl. Her name is Luna Lovegood. Do you know of her?"

Harry frowned. The name rang a bell, very vaguely. He got the feeling Ginny may have mentioned her in passing once. "Are her parents fine with her coming to Hellsing?"

"Her mother died not long before she went to Hogwarts," Alucard said solemnly. "A spell-crafting accident. Her father…has a rather skewed sense of danger. I have actually met him once: Xenophilus Lovegood. A relatively harmless eccentric. I find him a fascinating correspondent on wizarding history and mythology, though. He's obsessed with the Deathly Hallows. The legend was over a century old even when I had been born."

"The Deathly Hallows?"

"Powerful magical artifacts supposedly granted to a trio of brothers by the Reaper himself," Alucard said. "Maybe I should tell you the Tale of the Three Brothers some time. I suspect that your Cloak may very well be one of them. Most Invisibility Cloaks would fade after a decade or so, after all."

Harry frowned at that. His Invisibility Cloak, an ancient magical artifact? It was something he would have to discuss with Alucard later. But before he could say anything, Alucard said, "Well, let's get this show on the road, shall we? Come along, you might be amused."

* * *

The girl who awaited them was blonde-haired, with large, grey eyes, and a dreamy, scatterbrained expression. Integra, Hermione, and Moody were also there (Sirius kept out of sight from a girl who might not be discreet enough), with the girl speaking to Moody. "…good that your Inverted Duganger was exposed."

"Missy, that was a bloody Death Eater, not an Inverted Duganger," Moody growled.

"Different names, same thing. Nomenclature is such a tricky thing," the girl said offhandedly. She looked over at Alucard. "Oh, you must be Alucard."

"Indeed, I am," Alucard said with a bow.

"And you're Harry Potter," the girl said, looking at Harry.

"I know I am," Harry said with a resigned sigh, though the girl wasn't really staring at him in the same way others did. Which was a good sign, he guessed. The girl looked like she didn't let much bother her.

He looked on as Alucard submitted to what was, frankly, one of the most bizarre interviews Harry had ever seen, even more so than the interview he had with Rita Skeeter and that damned Quick Quotes Quill. Luna seemed to ask Alucard nonsensical questions about the Rotfang Conspiracy. Alucard didn't deny the allegations completely either. He either deliberately made his answers ambiguous with a smile, or else evaded them. Harry got the feeling that this was actually a game for the both of them. Alucard seemed to want to get some amusement out of being interviewed for this paper, and he didn't actually seem to be mocking towards Luna. He was indulging her so that he could cause some trouble for the Ministry, he felt. The only things he was very firm on were Rufus Scrimgeour not being a vampire. " _Believe me_ ," he had said, " _I'd know._ " Walter left partway through, to go and attend to Remus and Sirius.

After the interview, Luna put her writing implements away, and said, "Oh, by the way, I have a friend who I think you'd want to talk to."

Alucard blinked. "Oh?"

"Yes. I hope he's not busy. Cheshire?"

With no noise or any fanfare, someone appeared in the room, a blonde-haired boy with cat-like ears, about the same age as Luna. Harry frowned. Was that a Nazi school uniform or something? As the others, especially Alucard stared, the boy said, in a German accent, "Umm, _guten Morgen_." He held up his hands. "I am not here to fight."

"Alucard, what is the meaning of this?" Integra asked.

"I don't know, but I have the feeling that I know who this boy's master is. You're one of the Major's little helpers, aren't you?" Alucard asked, raising an eyebrow, his hand inching towards his Casull handgun.

" _Ja_ , or at least I am supposed to be. Shooting me will not get you anywhere, Alucard. I am everywhere and nowhere, and I cannot die normally. Cheshire is the rather lovely name Fraulein Luna has given me. I was given the name Schrödinger by my creator, the Doctor."

"After Schrödinger's Cat?" Hermione asked. "That's what you mean by 'everywhere and nowhere'. You're a Schrödinger's Catboy."

"Sorry, what?" Harry asked.

"Schrödinger's Cat is a thought experiment in quantum physics," Integra said. "It's used to show the observer effect. A cat is locked in a box with a 50% chance of dying during a set period. The cat is both dead and alive simultaneously, until you open the box, and make the cat's state concrete by observing that state. Clearly this boy's creator has a perverse sense of humour."

"The Doctor always did," Alucard said, "if it's the one I am thinking of, the one working under the Major. How is he, by the way? Still rotund and unable to shoot straight?"

Schrödinger chuckled. " _Ja_. I was developed only relatively recently. The Major and his people are beginning to make their plans, you see. I would have gone along with them, only…Luna helped anchor me in reality outside their mad dreams, _nicht wahr?_ "

"You'll forgive me for being sceptical," Integra said. "While I know only some of what happened with the Major, I'm not sure I can trust you."

"Understandable. But perhaps I can tell you one thing. They have found a way of artificially creating vampires with a combination of special microchips, along with biological material from none other than the body of Wilhemina Murray. Oh, and my blood is key to defeating you, Alucard. After all, what would happen if you drank every last drop of my blood, and with it, my soul? Think on that. I had better get going. The Major and the Doctor don't like me wandering. _Auf Wiedersehen_." And with that, he vanished.

"You scared Cheshire off," Luna pouted. But Alucard wasn't listening.

"His blood…oh, that is _ingenious!_ " Alucard laughed. "Everywhere and nowhere. Maybe his powers depend on his ability to perceive his own self as alive, even if he gets killed. But I have so many souls within me from people whom I have devoured. If he's unable to perceive himself as alive in that morass…I would die, or else fade out of existence."

"Worrying though that is, he also said that his superiors have access to Mina Harker's body," Integra said.

"It doesn't surprise me," Alucard said. "I lost track of what happened to Mina. A shame she is being defiled like that."

"This coming from the very monster who turned her into a vampire," Integra snarked. "It's odd that an underling of the Major would help us like that."

"Cheshire's a good boy," Luna said. "He just wants to be free of the Major and of Millennium."

"Millennium?" Hermione asked.

"Must be the name given to the Major's little boy-band revival," Alucard said. "The Major was a rather unpleasant SS officer Walter and I encountered during the Second World War. He was fat and couldn't hit the broad side of a barn, but he was also a vicious bastard. He seems to have survived Walter and I sticking it sideways to him and his merry band. Millennium is probably a reference to the Nazis' quaint little concept of the Thousand-Year Reich." He looked at Luna. She seemed to understand, and held out her hand. He walked over, and gently bit it.

"Hey, what's he doing?" Hermione asked.

"Blood is not just sustenance to vampires," Integra said. "Blood, mystically, is a record of the soul, and experienced vampires can discern memories from it. Don't worry, Alucard won't turn her. That requires a lot more than what he is doing."

"And I've just finished doing a brief trip down her memory lane," Alucard said, having finished drinking a small amount of Luna's blood. "It was…trippy, to say the least. I think I'm going to have weird dreams tonight. But Schrödinger seems to be on the level, or at least Luna hasn't seen anything to the contrary. If anything, Schrödinger seems genuinely sincere. And warning us about a trump card we would have known nothing about seems odd if it was part of some play by Millennium."

"Even so, we'll have to keep an eye on him. And Miss Lovegood?"

"Oh, definitely on the level, but…seriously, drinking blood from her is a bit like that time in the 60s when your father gave me a tab of LSD for a joke."

"Pounds, shillings, and pence," Luna said cheerfully(1).

"Yes, she seems to be a _very_ lateral thinker," Alucard said. "Oh, and I can feel it affecting me. I think her mind's got this unusual connection to reality. I think there might be seer's blood in her. I try to avoid that when I can. Tends to give me a bad reaction." He sniffed the air, then turned to Harry. "Apropos of nothing, why do you smell like you have a quarter of me?" As the others stared, Alucard, who seemed to be almost drunk now, slurring his voice and swaying a little, continued, "Only, it's been bothering me what you smelled like, why it was familiar, and it's only now, I've just realised…you smell a little like me. Like a quarter of me. And I know that I'm missing no quarters. I mean, I've been shot to bits, cut up, blown up, and there was that embarrassing incident with a statue falling on me back at my castle in Transylvania, but…well, I can regenerate."

"Oh dear Lord," Integra said, facepalming.

Alucard suddenly snapped his fingers. "I've got it!" He then opened his arms wide, as if trying to show off the length of a fish he caught. Facing Harry, he said, "Give your Grandpa Alucard a hug!"

Harry blinked, before saying, in a flat voice, "What."

"Come on, Harry! I wanna hug my grandson!" The ancient and extremely powerful vampire, intoxicated by even a small amount of seer's blood, lunged to try and embrace Harry. Harry dived out of the way, and Alucard collapsed onto the floor, promptly beginning to snore loudly.

Seras blinked, before remarking, "That just happened. Did my Master just get high and pass out?"

"I think he did," Hermione said. "More to the point, why did he call Harry his grandson? I mean, Harry's not a vampire, is he?"

"Of course he isn't, missy," Moody growled. As Harry felt relief at that, Moody then said, "He's a dhampir." On Harry's panicked look, Moody said, "I've known since I was fished out of that trunk. One of my instruments was for detecting vampires and those with their blood. I don't think Crouch would have known what it was, he just kept it out to keep looking like me. Otherwise, he would have exposed you. But when a vampire or one with their blood comes near, the instrument takes a reading of their magical signature, and I can use that to find them with my eye. As dhampirs don't need to drink blood, I just kept an eye on you, not outing you."

Hermione was gaping, and staring at Harry. The one consolation in all of this was that her eyes were not filled with any kind of fear or revulsion, just sheer surprise. "You're…a dhampir, Harry?"

He nodded reluctantly. "Why do you think I was so interested in haematology?"

"…That makes way too much sense," Hermione said. She then looked down at the snoring Alucard. "And you're the grandson of Alucard. Oh, Harry, what have you gotten yourself into now?"

 **CHAPTER 7 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **I seriously didn't expect to write that so soon. Don't expect another one any time soon either. Real life is getting in the way. And I'm not apologising for the cracky nature of Alucard drinking Luna's blood and getting high. That scene wrote itself, and was perfect for the revelation of Harry's parentage. I hope you liked how Schrödinger was portrayed. His full defection will come soon. Given that I am pairing Harry with Luna, I'm considering pairing Schrödinger with Hermione. Yes, you heard that right. Well, she is a cat person after all. It's not going to happen straight away, though. And don't worry, Hermione's still going to be Harry's friend.**

 **Review-answering time! I'm glad my introduction of Schrödinger went down well.**

 **loganjwynn** **: Given that the first episode of** ** _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_** **punctuates Seras (and the homicidal vampire priest) getting shot with a brief snatch from** ** _Shot Through the Heart_** **, it was a calculated opportunity. But thanks anyway. :)**

 **robert32514** **: All will be explained fully, but Lily is definitely dead. Alucard only survived the Killing Curse because he has multiple souls within to act as shields, not to mention the experimentation done by Hellsing.**

 **Kitsune95** **: I'm not a slash writer, so unless it's a female Schrödinger (or a female Harry), it ain't gonna happen. I'm sure someone will write that sort of story, though, slash or with a genderflip. If they haven't already, anyway…**

 **Gabriel Herrol** **: I'm still deciding whether Harry's going to be kicked out of Hogwarts or not for the year, but your review has me reconsidering that. In fact, Alucard as a DADA teacher…okay, it's been done before, I know it has, but even so…**

 **1\. This is actually a pun, albeit an obscure one nowadays. Before Britain switched to the decimal currency system, the three main currencies, pounds, shillings and pence, were sometimes called 'Lsd', for** ** _librae, solidi_** **, and** ** _denarii_** **. I think I read a pun involving this in a bizarre sequence (albeit one of many) in the** ** _Doctor Who_** **novel** ** _Sky Pirates!_** **Believe me, that story was like one big acid trip…**


	9. Chapter 8: It's in the Blood

**CHAPTER 8:**

 **IT'S IN THE BLOOD**

"So, you've had a taste for blood all this time, Harry?" Hermione asked a little later. Alucard was currently snoring on the lounge opposite them, while Harry explained to Hermione what he was. She already knew what a dhampir was.

"Ever since the Chamber of Secrets. I don't know what happened, exactly. I mean, I'd always been fascinated by blood, but it was the first time I actually had the desire to drink blood."

"Oh, Harry…I'd ask why you kept that a secret from us, but, well…" Hermione looked shamefaced. "Even dhampirs are not looked upon well in Magical Britain. I mean, it's stupid. Not all vampires are like the monsters in stories. I mean, look at Seras! You've got her drinking donated blood, and she's perfectly fine!"

"True enough," Integra said. "The truth is, though, most of the vampires Hellsing deal with are wholly evil. Only a few are benign. It is partly to do with the nature of the curse itself. Then again, most vampires have the good sense to conceal themselves from the attentions of Hellsing and Iscariot, and other similar organisations. With the advent of blood donations and blood banks, the necessity for vampires to become predators on the living has lessened. While I do believe that the vast majority of vampires are monsters, I can still allow for those who are sane and able to retain their morals. Dhampirs, because drinking blood is wholly optional for them, I would be more welcoming to."

"Thanks, Hermione, for understanding," Harry said.

"Harry, you were my first friend, after that whole business with the Troll. I'm sorry about not sending you letters, but I'm not going to let you being a dhampir get between us. Besides, I've known you for four years now. I think that's enough to get a good bead on someone. I'd probably keep this quiet from Ron, though."

"Yeah, who knows how he'd react?" Harry asked.

"The thing that bugs me is, how did Alucard end up as Harry's grandfather?" Seras asked.

"With difficulty," Moody said with a scowl. "The thing bugging me is, how did Lily end up with the Evans family, and have her heritage concealed?"

"Alucard probably knows," Integra said. "The thing about ancient vampires is that they can accumulate a significant amount of knowledge and lore. He may know something."

Alucard groaned, and his eyes flickered open. "I know a lot of things, Master, but one thing I should know is never to drink a seer's blood." He groaned again, clutching his head as if struck by a hangover. "The last time I drank a seer's blood, it was a few decades before young Johnny Harker came to stay at my castle. My brides at the time wouldn't let me hear the end of it, claiming I got suckered in by her callipygian figure. It's worse for a master vampire like myself to drink seer's blood, because it's like extra-strength absinthe mixed in with LSD. You simply get… _intoxicated_ by the information you get from the blood, because seers get information from more sources than most. I'm normally not a lightweight, but…"

Luna, who was still present, cocked her head and smiled. "I seem to cause headaches for people."

"Yes, I saw that in your memories," Alucard said. "Kudos." He blinked. "Wait a moment. Did I say or do embarrassing things before passing out?"

"You called yourself Grandpa Alucard and wanted a hug from me," Harry said. "I'm guessing that's a yes."

After a moment, Alucard said, "The saddest thing is, in over five and a half centuries of life, that doesn't even make the top ten of embarrassing things I have done. It doesn't even make the top twenty. Even so, let that be a lesson to you, Seras. If you can, avoid drinking seer's blood."

"You just called her by name," Hermione remarked.

"Because I want the lesson to _stick_ ," Alucard said. "Am I understood, Police Girl?"

"Yes, Master! Try not to drink seer's blood, or else it'll be like an extended pub crawl."

"It's worse than that. The good thing about it is that the inebriation and hangover, so to speak, doesn't last as long. The downside is, you get it a lot worse during that time." After a moment, Alucard sighed. "Well, now that that particular cat is out of the bag…well, I have to be frank, Harry. I'm not sure who your maternal grandmother is. I read your file, and what information there is about your parents. At the time your mother would have been conceived, I had a few dalliances with various women. I doubt I would have sired any offspring normally. Arthur had loosened the leash a little at the time, and I felt the need to experiment a little. If I had had sex with another vampire, then I wasn't aware of it, which is unlike me. I usually can sense our kind, which suggests I was tricked somehow. That being said, I think I know why your mother was left in mundane society."

"Why is that?" Harry asked.

"A pure-bred vampire, one created through procreation, is very rare. And given that I am a strong vampire already, able to resist sunlight, Lily would have inherited some of that as well. In addition, unlike those who are turned vampires, Lily could have had that heritage sealed away, been effectively a normal human, albeit one with an attraction to blood. Haemophilia, if you will, a love for blood. It would take some tricky spellwork to be sure to suppress a pure-bred vampire's traits, but it is possible. As to why exactly she was left, who could say? It could be that someone was trying to breed a pure-bred vampire as a weapon, only for Lily to be taken from them and left as part of the Evans family to hide her from her would-be controllers. That's my favourite theory. Keep in mind that Millennium and Hellsing are far from the only ones to try and weaponise vampires."

Moody nodded. "Aye. There's more than a few in the Death Eaters who'd want to have pet vampires that they can order around. I wouldn't be surprised if there's elements in the Ministry who'd research this too."

"And there are many groups of vampires who might try the same thing," Alucard said. "In many of the circles of my kind that know of Hellsing, I am seen as a traitor. It might be that those elements wanted to create a vampire capable of killing me, and what greater irony than to have it done through my own progeny? Then again, Millennium's plan was more interesting and more likely to work. In any case, it is useless speculation without more facts. What matters is that Harry is a dhampir, and my progeny. And I would be most remiss if I didn't teach him how to protect himself in a world that would seek to end his existence or exploit it. Especially as he has become known as the Boy Who Lived, and is thus the target of the Death Eaters. And, of course, now the Ministry of Magic."

"And fangirls," Luna said.

"That too," Alucard said with a smile.

"Great, I'm the grandson of Count Dracula, and he's decided to take an interest in me," Harry said.

"Hey, do you know how many wannabe vampires claim to have been sired or descended from me?" Alucard demanded. "I have seriously lost count over the centuries. They really want to claim to be part of my line. Well, that, or Liz Bathory(1), and she hates fans more than I do. I eat them, she bathes in their blood. I don't know whether she's still alive, though. We haven't spoken for a couple of centuries."

"I won't tell anyone about this if I can help it," Hermione said. "The Boy Who Lived, half-vampire? They're already tearing you to shreds in _The Daily Prophet_ , God knows how they'd react to this!"

"It may come out anyway," Integra said. "Harry will have to attend a hearing at the Ministry of Magic regarding his use of magic outside of school. Dumbledore will be running damage control, but there is a possibility that Fudge will expel Harry to make an example of him. No doubt if he is expelled, the Death Eaters will swoop in on him and try to take him to Voldemort."

"Actually, that's another thing," Hermione said. "Voldemort was resurrected with Harry's blood, wasn't he?"

"Yeah," Harry said. "Might that have afflicted him with vampirism or something?"

"I doubt it. You're a dhampir, not a vampire. Voldemort might desire blood, but he would show none of the weaknesses of a vampire," Alucard mused. "He may have enhanced physical and magical strength…what was the ritual?"

"He used his father's bones, his servant's hand, and my blood," Harry said.

"I know that ritual. Sadly, Voldemort won't have gained any weaknesses of a vampire, merely some of your strengths, Harry. But he is not actually a dhampir per se, and I intend to make my displeasure known to him."

"Back to the hearing. I honestly believe it will be a kangaroo court," Integra said. "Thankfully, Amelia Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour have enough pull to muddy the waters, introduce doubt, and ensure that Harry's guilty verdict is not a _fait accompli_. Even if he is expelled, we will ensure that he is brought here. Hellsing is one of the most heavily-warded buildings in Britain. Hogwarts, Gringotts, and the residences of Queen Elizabeth II are the only ones that are more heavily warded."

"How do you get them warded, Sir Integra?" Hermione asked.

"I have a few Muggleborns on my staff who failed to get the jobs they wanted due to their blood status," Integra said. "They are really most talented. One of them is a master in Runes and Arithmancy. The other two are specialists in Defence Against the Dark Arts. The Ministry's loss is our gain. If Harry is not expelled, the Ministry will still probably try to exert pressure on Hogwarts. Thanks to Fudge's paranoia and ambition being fed by the late and unlamented Lucius Malfoy, and the sadly still alive Dolores Umbridge, he intends to take any measure he can to exert direct control over Hogwarts."

Moody nodded. "Dumbledore's scrambling around, looking for a new DADA teacher. Otherwise, Fudge'll probably install Umbridge in the role."

"Yeah, Madam Bones and Mr Scrimgeour told me that," Harry said.

A dark chuckle emanated from Alucard. Integra, who seemed to realise what he was thinking, said in a warning tone, "Alucard…"

"No, no, hear me out! I've got a spare bunch of bodies I can trot out. Benefits of being a centuries-old vampire with a lot of familiars. Anyway, if I use a spare body, put a bit of my consciousness into it, enough so it's semi-autonomous, then hey presto! Instant DADA teacher! I can moonlight! I can multitask! I mean, it gets so boring here between vampire hunts. And this way, if Harry doesn't get expelled, I can keep an eye on my progeny. Everyone wins! Well, everyone that matters. The students get my years of experience with dealing with the Dark Arts, my grandson gets protection, and I get to stick it sideways to the Ministry of Magic. I might even get to hurt Dolores Umbridge again." The chuckle Alucard emitted would certainly be the envy of many an evil megalomaniac.

"Is anyone else just frightened for their lives and/or sanity, or is it just me?" Seras asked.

"It's not just you," Integra said.

* * *

Of late, Lord Voldemort was in an understandably foul mood. Lucius Malfoy was dead, and with him, a lot of direct influence over the Minister, as well as a good chunk of Voldemort's funds, had gone. When he first heard about Lucius Malfoy being killed, he handed out Cruciatus Curses like candy. It got even worse when he heard about who had killed him, through one of his spies in the DMLE. It was apparently the chief vampire hunter of the Hellsing Organisation. A vampire himself, by the name of Alucard.

Voldemort had heard whispers of Alucard. In fact, it was a secret fear of Voldemort that Hellsing might send Alucard after him, and when sightings of the infamous vampire disappeared, Voldemort actually felt relieved, privately. Not that he would ever say anything about this matter to anyone. He masked his fear with rage and Cruciatus Curses.

Out loud, Voldemort had often declared that only he could be immortal. But even he had heard tales of Alucard's near-invincibility. And while part of him believed those tales to be little more than fearful whisperings, another, more primal, instinctive part of him knew that those tales were as concrete as the laws of gravity, and far less forgiving.

Even so, Voldemort was wondering how to deal with the matter when suddenly, he realised that he wasn't alone in his room, Nagini aside. Everyone else had left him on his orders after the latest round of cursing. "You have precisely ten seconds to either tell me what you are doing here, or leave. Otherwise, you die."

" _Entschuldigung_ , Herr Voldemort," the blonde-haired boy with the pinkish-purple eyes and cat-like ears said with a German accent, holding what looked like a small version of a Muggle television. He wore something that looked like a Nazi uniform for kids. "My commanding officer, the glorious Major, would like to speak to you of an alliance."

Voldemort's eyes narrowed. He then fired a Cutting Curse at the boy (why waste the effort for a Killing Curse?), and the boy's head exploded into a satisfying, gory mess. The television clattered to the ground, followed by the boy's headless corpse. "Lord Voldemort does not accept an alliance with Muggles."

Suddenly, the boy's corpse disappeared, and he reappeared, alive, well, and scowling. "That was very rude. Haven't you English got the saying ' _don't shoot the messenger_ '?" he asked irritably. He went over and picked up the television, as Voldemort gaped at the boy's miraculous return from the dead. The boy then put the television on a table, and pulled out a slender device from his uniform. "The Major will speak to you now. Please attend carefully."

He then activated the device, only to realise something was wrong. As he pressed it again, a tinny Teutonic voice, a little high-pitched, emanated from the television. " _Warrant Officer Schrödinger? The picture is not working._ "

"The _verdammt_ television is playing up, Major!" Schrödinger protested. "I told the Doctor it is not meant for a magical environment!" Looking at Voldemort, the cat-eared boy smiled apologetically. "Technical difficulties(2)," he said. He then slapped the television lightly, and the screen finally came to life, revealing a rotund, blonde-haired man wearing small, round glasses. And he had a smile on his face that looked damned-near perpetual.

" _Ah_ , Guten Tag, _Herr Voldemort_ ," the man, presumably the Major, said. " _Forgive my forwardness and impropriety, but I was wondering whether you'd be willing to consider…a_ _ **joint**_ _effort…_ "

 **CHAPTER 8 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Now, some of you were wondering about Harry's grandmother, the vampire one. That's still up in the air, but one thing I can tell you is that it's definitely not 'Shi', aka Mina. Why is this? Well, for the very good reason that, at the time Lily would have been born, Mina was already in the hands of Millennium. In all likelihood, Harry's maternal grandmother is going to be an OC, if she ever appears in this. Or maybe, just maybe, there's someone who might appear…**

 **Oh, and are Voldemort and the Major going to enter into an alliance? Yeah,** ** _no_** **. Voldemort wouldn't be seen dead helping a Muggle. He's still going to take the information the Major gives him, which is actually what the Major wants. The Major wants Voldemort and company to be a thorn in the sides of Hellsing and Alucard, and Britain in general. He's basically using Voldemort to soften up Britain before he makes his move. Sadly, Schrödinger is going to put a spanner in that particular plan.**

 **I know this next thing is going to get some of you into a tizz. I've decided to change the pairings again. It'll be Harry/Hermione and Luna/Schrödinger. Why? Well, frankly, it is easier to build romantic pairings on what is already there, and shortly after finishing this chapter, I realised it would be a lot harder to put together Harry/Luna and Hermione/Schrödinger than the aforementioned pairings, because Harry and Hermione have known each other for a while now, and so have Luna and Schrödinger. Yes, I know you guys are disappointed, looking forward to a Harry/Luna pairing, but I've done that in another fic. Yes, I know Harmony fics are plentiful, but that pairing is prolific for a reason.**

 **Yes, I know, I said that the last chapter would be the last one for a while, but inspiration struck. You have a ninth chapter on the way too. But that's it for a while.**

 **Review-answering time! I'm glad my bit with a high/drunk/hilariously intoxicated Alucard went down well.**

 **Reishin Amara** **: Harry Potter is already called the Boy Who Lived. I think he'd prefer the Emerald Slayer, though, in Hellsing.**

 **Exiled Soul Nomad** **: It was worse because he is an experienced master vampire, and can obtain memories and souls. He doesn't really have a defence mechanism against anything that dopes the souls (witness what happens with Schrödinger during Alucard's final battle). Less-experienced vampires wouldn't be affected. It's like information overload, and combining that with Luna's imagination, semi-insanity, and seeing things that others can't, well, it's a bad combination. Harry, being of Alucard's blood, would need training, but he would become affected like that should he drink Luna's blood.**

 **Zaidee** **: She won't. At least this time, she understands the consequences.**

 **Ningay** **: I think that may have been sakurademonalchemist's original intention, but because of the whole thing with Millennium already having Mina's body, I decided to discard that.**

 **Guest** **: I'm still considering it. I'm not going to have Anderson quoting from** ** _Boondock Saints_** **or anything, but I want to give Anderson a little fleshing-out. You didn't offend me about the minor bashing, even if what I am doing is not bashing, not like some people do. I rarely bash 'good' characters in Harry Potter, and when I do, it's usually Dumbledore (and I find writing a villainous Dumbledore a bit hard to do at times). I honestly cannot bash Ron, despite his less-nice moments. I can point out the flaws and try to reconstruct them in spite of those flaws. It's part of the reason why this story is different to that of sakurademonalchemist: she invariably bashes Dumbledore and Ron, and occasionally Hermione. I want Dumbledore's flaws to be pointed out, but I want to reconstruct rather than deconstruct the character.**

 **SandyLS** **: I haven't really gone into Harry's abilities yet. I'll work on them later.**

 **1\. He means Elizabeth Bathory, a woman considered by many people to be one of the most prolific serial killers to have ever lived. Legends arose of Bathory bathing in blood to remain youthful-looking, long before she was associated with vampirism. She's also a frequent historical figure who is made a vampire in fiction.**

 **2\. I only realised it after I wrote this line, but Schrödinger is played in English by Laura Bailey, who played Lust in** ** _Fullmetal Alchemist_** **and** ** _Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood_** **. In addition, in episode 8 of the latter series, Lust actually says 'Technical difficulties' when Edward Elric's automail arm falls apart just as he is about to fight her and Envy. How's that for a serendipitous reference? I only realised it sometime after I wrote it…**


	10. Chapter 9: Hearing Difficulties

**CHAPTER 9:**

 **HEARING DIFFICULTIES**

"Well," Alucard said as they drove back to Hellsing after the hearing at the Ministry of Magic, "that went well enough."

"How do you mean?" Harry said, scowling as the four of them sat in the limousine.

"You're still able to go to Hogwarts, thanks to Andromeda Tonks' advocacy and the support of Madam Bones and Mr Scrimgeour," Hermione pointed out. "Not to mention Alucard and Sir Integra's testimony about the ghouls. I'm angry they didn't let you use Veritaserum or a Pensieve, though. And the way they changed the time and location at the last moment…"

"Fudge and those looking to discredit Harry are playing extremely dirty," Integra said. "I am lodging a complaint with Her Majesty and the Round Table. Magical Britain does have to adhere to certain tenets of the law, even mundane law. They even tried to have me Obliviated, even though under law, certain members of certain organisations cannot be Obliviated, as they may need to liaise with the Ministry of Magic and the DMLE."

"These fools either disregard or change the laws when it suits them," Alucard said dismissively. "Such folly is not confined to magical governments, sadly, though it seems to be amplified in them. I've seen it happen many times in my long lifetime. I want the good old days back, when I could bring out the stakes for anyone who annoyed me."

Hermione, who had read something of the exploits of Vlad the Impaler, shuddered. Harry, meanwhile, was still scowling. "I hate the way they treated me. I mean, I know why they are, thanks to what everyone told me, but…they treated me like I was _you_ , Alucard, only they don't know I'm your grandson or a dhampir. Like an object of contempt. And the way Percy looked at me…I mean, we weren't friends, exactly, but even so…"

"Have you ever heard of the concept of 'acquired situational narcissism', Harry?" Integra asked. "While it's perhaps the incorrect term to use in this context, as it usually means those intoxicated by celebrity and fame, like they claim you to be, but Percy Weasley has been promoted to what he believes to be an important position, and has been intoxicated by being 'important'. I have been in contact with Arthur Weasley since you came into my care, and Percy has distanced himself from the family, more so than his older brothers. And people will do many things for power. I have told you of what my own uncle did when my father perished."

"I know, I know, Percy was a bit of a prat. But even so, I thought he was better than this," Harry said.

"Sadly, it's a lesson of life, Harry," Alucard said. "You can never quite know a person completely. Well, unless you're a vampire and drink all their blood, but that's not the point I'm making."

Hermione nodded, before she frowned, looking out the car windows. "Umm, is this the same route we took to the Ministry?"

"It shouldn't be, to deter anyone who might attack me, but…" Integra looked out the windows. Her eyes widened behind her glasses. "Alucard…"

"On it," the vampire said, phasing through the limousine's partition to the driving area. After a moment, the limousine changed its route, and Alucard returned to the passenger area. "I just broke an Imperius on our driver. Thankfully, I was able to do it easily enough without having to resort to lethal measures. Just as well, too. I can only drive automatics anyway. I couldn't tell who cast it, but I could discern the instructions. We were to be driven to an isolated area, where the Death Eaters would attack, abducting Harry."

"Voldemort's laying low, the events at Cheddar aside," Integra mused. "So why would he make a move now?"

"Maybe the temptation to get Harry was too much to resist," Hermione said.

"Actually, I can help you there," came a familiar, Teutonic voice. And Harry and Hermione found Schrödinger sandwiched between them all of a sudden. "A tight fit, _ja?_ " he asked a little sheepishly.

Alucard raised an eyebrow. "So, am I to understand that the Major had a hand in this?"

"Indirectly, Alucard. He wants the Hellsing Organisation and the Royal Order of Protestant Knights run ragged as a prelude to his own operation. Although originally, he only intended to send artificial vampires to test Hellsing and Alucard, he has now decided to have Voldemort target Hellsing. He had me sent there to offer Voldemort information in exchange for an alliance. And let me tell you, getting my head blown off by a Cutting Curse is very unpleasant."

"I didn't think Voldemort would accept an alliance with a Muggle organisation," Integra said.

"Oh, he didn't, but he took the information all the same when the Major gave it to him as a 'goodwill gesture'. In truth, the Major was banking on that."

"How can you have loyalty to a man like that?" Hermione demanded.

"I don't, not true loyalty, not for years. But…there are ways of ensuring that anyway, Fraulein. Did it ever occur to you how I can be everywhere and nowhere?" After looking at their blank faces, Schrödinger said, "The cat genes within me are mostly to enhance my combat attributes, even though I am not technically required to be in combat, as well as to fulfil the Doctor's sense of humour to have a Schrödinger's Catboy. But to be everywhere and nowhere, as well as loyalty, requires another source. A magical source. And there is one species of magical creature that is often underestimated for its ability to be everywhere that it is needed, and loyalty."

Harry understood first. "Holy shit," he murmured quietly. "You've got some House Elf in you, haven't you?"

" _Ja_. Not much, but it was through experimentation with House Elf biology that the Doctor created my ability to be an actual Schrödinger's Catboy, as you put it, Fraulein," Schrödinger said, looking at Hermione. "He also thought it would ensure my loyalty, but it took a while for the imprinting to take place, along with the indoctrination that required me to die for the glory of Millennium. But Luna's mind cried out to me when her mother died, and I think that disrupted it. I just need to find a way to ensure that I cannot be brought under their control again. Look, I can't linger. Otherwise, they'll ask questions. Just be careful now." And with that, Schrödinger vanished.

After a moment, Harry said, "I'm getting flashbacks to when Dobby tried to warn me away from Hogwarts. So we've got a Nazi experiment who's part-human, part-cat, and part-House Elf warning us about these guys."

"It makes sense," Alucard said. "The whole House Elf thing."

"We'll have to treat his warnings with due caution," Integra said. "He may be double-bluffing." She looked over at Alucard. "Has Dumbledore accepted your proposal to become a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?"

"I had to twist his arm a little, metaphorically, but he's agreed," Alucard said with a grin. "It was the thought of Umbridge teaching these kids so appallingly that cinched it. He made that mistake with Quirrell and Lockhart. Seriously, why did he hire a fraud in order to expose him, and thus endanger the teaching of his students? I've decided to send an older version of what Walter used to call 'Girlycard'."

"Girlycard?" Hermione asked.

Alucard smirked, before changing form into a pale, teenaged girl with long black hair. "Like this," he said, his very male voice still emanating from the feminine lips of his current form. "I'm going to have to change the age and use a woman's voice, obviously. Ah, this brings back memories, like the time I played Snow White for the Queen during one of her pantomimes at Windsor Castle."

"…What?" Harry asked.

"During the Second World War, while at Windsor Castle, Her Majesty staged pantomimes there for the Queen's Wool Fund to raise money for yarn. The yarn was used to knit into military garments," Integra said(1). "This was before she was actually crowned, when she was still Princess Elizabeth, of course."

After some time, Hermione said, "I'll probably head back to the Order's headquarters today. I think someone should let them know what Schrödinger said about the Major giving Voldemort information. We'll also have to pick up supplies at Diagon Alley." She looked at Alucard. "What text have you assigned for us, Alucard?"

"For Fifth Year and up, I have assigned _Confronting the Faceless_ , though Quentin Trimble's text will be looked at as well, and you've had that since your first year, according to Dumbledore," Alucard said. "Technically, _Confronting the Faceless_ is a NEWT-level book, but given the rather uneven nature of your Defence Against the Dark Arts education, as well as the potential rise of Voldemort, Fifth Year will have a bit of a jumpstart in learning how to defend yourselves. And I'm sure someone of your inquisitive and eager nature would find it an interesting read, Hermione. I've also promised Dumbledore that I will try to see if I can figure out what sort of curse was put on the position by Voldemort."

"Curse?" Hermione's eyes widened. "That's why we've had a different teacher each year."

"For decades, this has happened, according to Dumbledore, but despite his bringing in cursebreakers from Gringotts, he has been unable to lift it. I will look myself, although it may be that the curse is tied to Voldemort's life. Between Voldemort and Millennium, I think things are going to get interesting…"

* * *

In the Millennium base deep in Brazil, Schrödinger sat, sulking, having already submitted to the latest round of testing by the Doctor. While he was sure that the Major and the Doctor didn't suspect his treachery, the latter had been particularly vocal about his disapproval of Schrödinger going anywhere without permission. And while the Major told the Doctor off with a joking tone, there was a look in the Major's golden eyes that told Schrödinger that he privately agreed with the Doctor. And the Old Men of the Opera House, the nominal heads of Millennium, agreed, though this was one of the few times they agreed with the Major or the Doctor on anything. Those old relics loved to bitch, especially about them not receiving vampirism or immortality. And Schrödinger realised that he really should leave Millennium. There was virtually nothing for him here, save for a suicide mission he was born for, for a cause he didn't believe in, not anymore.

To tell the truth, there were only a couple of members of Millennium Schrödinger could be said to be friends with, though of those two, there was really only one he could trust. Of these two, the one he didn't trust was Lieutenant Rip van Winkle, a childish, almost carefree young woman (in appearance, anyway: she had been young during the Second World War) who was obsessed with _Der Freischütz_ , or _The Freeshooter_ , a famous opera by Carl Maria von Weber. While quite cute, she was also psychotic in many regards, loving to play with her foes with her enchanted musket balls she fired from her musket.

The other, the one he trusted, was ironically in diametric opposition to him. This tall, muscled man, with snow-white hair (despite his apparently youthful face) and red eyes, was known as the Captain. Some people claimed his name was Hans Günsche, but Schrödinger didn't know whether that was the case, as the Captain never spoke(2). Where Schrödinger was effusive and emotive, the Captain was quiet and stoic. Where Schrödinger was short and effeminate, the Captain was tall and masculine. And where Schrödinger was a cat, well, the Captain was a dog. Or rather, a wolf. A werewolf. And not just any werewolf, but one of the rarest kind, the born Loup-Garou, a more mystical form of werewolf that was virtually extinct. The Captain was probably the last of them alive. It was said that most other werewolves were the result of a foolish wizard trying to replicate Loup-Garou powers, only to end up becoming a more mindless beast, with more weaknesses and less strengths. And because he was suffering from rabies at the time, lycanthropy was turned into a virus, active at the full moon(3).

But the Captain was one of Schrödinger's only friends in Millennium, and the Loup-Garou was the only one Schrödinger trusted. So when the Captain entered the lab, Schrödinger knew that this was the one person he could confide in.

The Captain rarely communicated through anything other than body language, gestures, or actions. Schrödinger knew that the gesture the Captain used meant, _What troubles you?_

"A lot of things, Captain," Schrödinger admitted. "You know that."

The Captain nodded. _You doubt the plan_ , his eyes said, with no condemnation, anger, or contempt in them. Just a sadness. The Captain went over to a desk, and wrote something down on a piece of paper, and then showed it to Schrödinger. _You want your freedom, don't you?_

" _Ja_ ," Schrödinger admitted.

Another bit of writing, and then, the Captain showed it to him. _Then I will help_.

Schrödinger blinked, and then he looked at the Captain. "…Why?"

More writing. _You are young. I am old. Too old. I am only going along with this because I want a good death in battle. But you are only young, Schrödinger. Too young to sacrifice a life you have barely lived. I am glad your mind is free of the filth they have pumped into it. The Nazis go on about purity of blood, but they are quick to sully it with vampirism and other adulterants for power. And even if their plan to use you to defeat Alucard succeeded, Alucard has a bad habit of coming back from the dead. You know that you will have to be branded a traitor to Millennium_.

" _Ja_. But…there's a friend I have…"

 _A girl? Say no more. I can see it in your eyes_ , the Captain wrote with a gentle smile. _I don't care if you work with Hellsing. The only thing I care about is one last glorious battle_. The Loup-Garou's eyes flickered around. He noted the various parts of the Doctor's research into Schrödinger, and then wrote, _We'll have to fight, make it look like I discovered your treachery instead of enabling it, while I destroy whatever can be used to bring you back here during our 'fight'. Take the paper with you, so I am not incriminated. But tell Alucard…the Captain wants a rematch with either him, or any of his fledglings_.

" _Ja_ , Captain," Schrödinger said, his eyes glistening with tears, taking the paper from the Loup-Garou solemnly.

The Captain nodded, before removing his cap, his head shifting and warping into a snowy-white lupine form that seemed not quite there, almost like a ghost, or a mist. Schrödinger hadn't seen that form often, and for most, it would mean death.

The ensuing fight was almost a choreographed dance, for the benefit of anyone who might be watching. Schrödinger leapt desperately around the attacks of the Captain, dodging most, but some getting him smashed painfully into equipment. Most of it was normal equipment, but some were the devices used to hold Schrödinger's loyalty to Millennium, and would take too long to replace. Magically enhanced electronics, after all, were expensive to assemble properly, and while Millennium's budget would be the envy of many a nation, it would also take too much time to rebuild.

Soon, Schrödinger was lying, mortally wounded, or at least what would be a mortal wound in anyone else, on the floor. The Captain was standing over him, glaring at him, while the Doctor had finally arrived. "What is the meaning of this?!" the blonde-haired neurotic man demanded. "Why have you attacked him, Captain?"

"Because…he discovered…I'm leaving…Millennium," Schrödinger rasped. " _Leck mich…am Arsch_." He gave the Doctor the finger, before vanishing, the enraged snarl of the Doctor the last thing he heard…but the last thing he saw were the sad eyes of the Captain, even in his more lupine form. Saying, _I'll miss you_ , even as Schrödinger fled Millennium, forever…

* * *

Luna was surprised to find Cheshire suddenly appear out of thin air. Not because he did so so suddenly, she was used to that, but now, he looked haggard, even like he had been crying. "Cheshire?" she asked.

"Luna…please hold me," Cheshire said, tears running from his pinkish-purple eyes. And without hesitation, Luna threw her arms around him in a hug, allowing his tears to soak her dress as she comforted. She knew he had finally fled his dark and twisted home with Millennium. Now, she was all he had left…

 **CHAPTER 9 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **I told you the defection of Schrödinger was coming sooner rather than later. One reviewer wanted me to bring the Captain (aka Hans) in as an ally of Hellsing, or at least Harry, but I decided against it. I decided he has no true loyalty to Millennium, but that working with the good guys isn't going to get him the glorious death he desires either. He did this purely for Schrödinger. And yes, Schrödinger will be attending Hogwarts with Luna. Hope you liked the partial explanation for Schrödinger's powers. I thought of it after reading one of Reishin Amara's reviews for** ** _Xenophilia_** **, regarding Dobby's abilities (in that story) to teleport between dimensions. And one wonders, where do House Elves go when they're not working for their masters? White Squirrel's** ** _The Arithmancer_** **posits one possibility, and this story posits another. Are House Elves everywhere and nowhere? Maybe, but they're not immortal or invincible. That aspect of Schrödinger is due to the Doctor's experimentation.**

 **Also, I hoped you like Voldemort's first shot at Harry and Hellsing. And we'll see an adult Girlycard at Hogwarts. I didn't write the hearing partly because I didn't want the story to get bogged down, and partly because I think of** ** _Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix_** **to be the nadir of the series, and I didn't want to re-read the hearing chapter in order to write the defence.**

 **As I post this, I have also found out that not only two of my fanfics, namely** ** _Harry Potter and the Cetra Heritage_** **and** ** _Is Your Great-Aunt an AI?!_** **, have been recommended on TV Tropes, but the Cetra Heritage Saga now has an actual Tropes page, under** ** _Harry Potter and the Cetra Heritage!_** **Booyah!**

 **Review-answering time! To those who complained about the Harmony pairing, if you don't like it, the door is there. I'm not going to try and force another pairing because of your whining.**

 **paladin3030** **: In all likelihood, no, or at least not many. I think Voldemort would be leery of turning anyone into something more powerful than he is, unless they are absolutely loyal to him (Bellatrix may be a candidate).**

 **Call0013** **: In all likelihood, as Harry is yet to consume any soul other than his own, he would gain Schrödinger's powers. However, that's not going to happen: Luna'd be pissed at the loss of her best friend and possible love interest.**

 **Reishin Amara** **: Wait and see… ;)**

 **Neo-Devil** **: I fucking** **love ****_Mars Bringer of War_** **. In fact, the first two** ** _Quatermass_** **television serials (yes, my username actually comes from somewhere!) actually use** ** _Mars Bringer of War_** **as their opening theme. So when it was used in Episode 4 of** ** _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_** **, well, I was ecstatic.**

 **Guest** **: Fair enough. This Anderson will probably be a mix between the two, but how much so, I am yet to determine.**

 **1\. I remembered how Alucard and Queen Elizabeth II were longtime friends (or at least on pretty good terms) in the manga, as well as the Abridged Series' rather grotesque jokes about their relationship. I actually had a look on Wikipedia about what Queen Elizabeth II (then Princess Elizabeth) did during the Second World War, and learned of these pantomimes she would hold at Windsor Castle for that fund. And the thought of Girlycard playing Snow White was all too-appealing.**

 **2\. There's a popular fanon that the Captain's name is this, derived as he was from a character from one of Kouta Hirano's earlier works. I decided it might be more interesting to 'neither confirm or deny' the name, hence the rumours.**

 **3\. The Captain is clearly a vastly different type of werewolf to the ones seen in the Potterverse, and Alucard, apparently, considered the Captain's kind to be extinct. This is my attempt to reconcile the two apparently disparate types of werewolf, and why the Captain still seems in full control of his faculties, while Potterverse werewolves have the classic 'berserker in the full moon' behaviour.**


	11. Chapter 10: On the Hogwarts Express

**CHAPTER 10:**

 **ON THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS**

It had been a hectic time at Hellsing for Harry. He soon took to training with the wires in earnest, and while he was nowhere near Walter's level of skill, he was a surprisingly quick study (helped by judicious use of a Time Turner Integra got discreetly from the Department of Mysteries). He also had a crash course in his abilities as a dhampir with Alucard. Drinking blood would speed up his regeneration from wounds, and, like Alucard, Harry could, potentially, make people whom he drank the blood of into his familiars.

Alucard had to teach him the difference between drinking blood to either create a ghoul or a fledgling (the latter, Alucard thought, might be like a dhampir in ability and weakness), or to create a familiar. One had to drink not only the blood, but consume the soul as well, a prospect Harry was admittedly skittish about. After all, it was the same thing that Dementors did, minus the blood-sucking. Alucard, however, pointed out that he could turn Death Eaters whose blood he drank into familiars, and they would have to obey him no matter what. This was something that didn't sit well with Harry, and he was understandably skittish about forcing someone to become his slave. Alucard admitted he wasn't sure whether Harry could make anyone a familiar.

One thing they also learned was how to use the telepathy vampires of the same blood could use. Seras could use it as Alucard's fledgling, and Harry could use it as Alucard's grandson. Alucard had also pointed out that Harry's habit of drinking his own blood type was unnecessary: both vampire and dhampir biology bypassed the problems involved with blood groups, stripping off the antigens that were part of blood-typing. In effect, every ABO blood type Harry drank would be made into 'O'.

Alucard and Seras escorted Harry on his trip to Diagon Alley, along with Remus. They met Hermione and Ron at the Alley, and got the texts for the year. Hermione, thankfully, had kept quiet about both Harry being a dhampir, and Alucard teaching DADA this year. Alucard's alter ego as a teacher would be Professor Lucy Stoker: Lucy after Lucy Westenra, Alucard's first female victim in Britain as Dracula, and Stoker after Abraham 'Bram' Stoker, the author of _Dracula_.

Said alter-ego was currently sitting in a carriage with Harry, Luna, Schrödinger, Ginny, and Neville Longbottom. Professor Stoker took the form of an elegant, if pale, dark-haired woman in her late twenties, with icy blue eyes rather than the habitual red of Alucard. To those who had seen 'Girlycard', though, it was easily recognisable as an adult version with different-coloured eyes.

It was a surprise to Harry and Stoker to see Schrödinger sitting with Luna, his ears shifted into human ears by a spell, and dressed in Hogwarts robes rather than his Hitler Youth uniform. However, Schrödinger said that they would talk once they reached Hogwarts, to Ginny and Neville's confusion. Hermione and Ron, meanwhile, were making their rounds as prefects. Harry wondered why Ron had been selected, and not himself, before deciding it didn't matter. He had too much on his plate as it was. Being a prefect wouldn't work out for him, he was sure. Even so, Harry felt a slight pang at the fact that he wouldn't be sitting with Ron this year for the whole journey, like he had so many others.

"So, you're the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher?" Ginny asked.

"Indeed," Stoker purred. Alucard's voice, in that disguise, was not dissimilar to Integra's, but more sultry and husky. It still had that cultured, aristocratic air, but with less of the rigid restraint Integra frequently had. "I work for Hellsing, normally, but I asked Dumbledore if I could teach Defence Against the Dark Arts. And considering Dolores Umbridge would have taken the position in my place…"

Neville shuddered. He knew, through his grandmother, something of Umbridge. "So, are you a Muggleborn, then?"

"Indeed. I know you and your family don't go in for that excremental blood purity rubbish. Your parents were very brave, Neville, even though it cost them everything."

"I know, it's just…I'm told they were brave, but I find it hard to be anything but afraid."

"Courage is not the absence of fear, but acting in spite of it," Stoker said. "Believe me, I know what I am talking about. A being who acts completely without fear is frequently a monster. A being whose acts are dictated wholly by fear is no better than a dog. Fear is part of the human condition. And I can understand your fear of the Death Eaters, especially the Lestranges. Take some comfort in that Barty Crouch Junior is dead, and died ignominiously. And perhaps the Lestranges will go the same way too." Stoker sniffed, and then looked at Neville's bag. "You have an interesting plant in your bag. _Mimbulus mimbletonia_ , I believe."

Neville nodded eagerly, glad of the change in subject, and pulled out a grey cactus, albeit with boils rather than spines. "My Great-Uncle Algie got it for me in Assyria. I don't think even Hogwarts has one in their greenhouses."

Stoker nodded. "Please put it back. I know what its defensive mechanism is. I for one could do without Stinksap all over me. These robes are expensive."

Cho Chang chose to enter. There was an awkward reunion, before she left. Harry was beginning to wonder if he really saw much in her. Shortly after she left, Ginny asked, "Umm, Schrödinger, was it? You're German, with that accent, I think. Where did you go to school?"

"I didn't," Schrödinger said. "My adoptive family…kept me secluded and home-schooled. I corresponded with Luna, until I realised I didn't want to live with my family anymore. I currently live with Luna."

"You ran away from home?" Ginny asked.

"I am familiar with Schrödinger's adoptive family," Stoker said. "They are indeed not nice people at all, and he has done well to free himself from them. He is named after a famous Muggle physicist, Erwin Schrödinger. I am hoping that Schrödinger will prove himself to be unlike his adoptive family."

Schrödinger threw Stoker a grateful look. They made small talk for about an hour, having snacks (Stoker wasn't interested in anything but the Chocolate Frog Cards), before Ron and Hermione came back. Draco Malfoy, apparently, had been made a Slytherin prefect, along with Pansy Parkinson. And Malfoy had been in a foul mood when he learned that his father had been killed by Alucard of Hellsing.

Not long afterwards, as if summoned by talking about him, Draco arrived, flanked by his minions. "What is it, Malfoy?"

"Manners, Potter, or I'll have to give you a detention," Draco drawled.

"Excuse me, but as a teacher, I may have to disagree with your assessment," Stoker said.

"And you are?"

"Professor Lucy Stoker, your new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher."

"Oh, the Mudblood," Draco sneered.

Stoker smirked. "Twenty points off Slytherin, Mr Malfoy. Say that word again in my hearing, and it will be more, plus a detention. And given that your _pater familias_ is now _in pace requiescat_ , if you'll forgive the bad Latin grammar, you don't have his name to fall back on. Now, go away before I mock you(1)."

As Draco opened his mouth, Schrödinger said, "Don't annoy her, _ja?_ It is not for nothing she is now your teacher in Defence Against the Dark Arts."

Draco sneered, before glaring at Harry. "Better watch yourself, Potter. I'll be _dogging_ your footsteps should you step out of line."

Harry sent to Alucard as Draco left, _Do you think he knows something about Sirius?_

 _I wouldn't be surprised. Snape's probably fed him that information. Dumbledore may trust him, but I have the feeling that Snape's grudge against Sirius would lead him to try and have him killed_. Alucard knew about the grudge Snape and Sirius had against each other, and against Harry. And, of course, spreading the fact about Remus Lupin being a werewolf to get him fired out of spite.

All too-soon, they reached the end of the line, and they had to disembark. Harry noted that Hagrid wasn't there to greet the First Years. Instead, there was Professor Grubbly-Plank. He hoped Hagrid was all right.

When they made their way to where the carriages waited, Harry halted. "What are those horse-things pulling the carriages?" he asked out loud.

"Harry, there's nothing there," Ron said.

"Actually, he's right," Stoker said. "Those are Thestrals. They can only be seen by someone who has seen death, and comprehended it. For Harry, I believe it was Cedric Diggory. Oh, and before you ask about Hagrid, he is away from Hogwarts on business for Dumbledore. I should have mentioned that sooner."

Harry stared at the emaciated-looking horses, with bat-like wings, dark skin, and pale white eyes with no pupils. Hermione blinked. "I think I've heard of Thestrals before. So they're what pull the carriages?"

"Indeed," Stoker said.

* * *

Stoker, after leaving Harry at the entrance to the Great Hall, walked over to the Staff Table. That odious bitch Umbridge was sitting there, glaring at her (Alucard's consciousness as Stoker thought of itself as a female, to avoid confusion), trying to kill her with the power of her gaze alone. Stoker merely gave the Batrachian Bitch a smile, having dealt with far more impressive glares, and sat down next to Snape. The Potions Master was an odious bastard, but he was at least competent and interesting to talk to, as long as Harry Potter or the Marauders weren't brought up. Schrödinger was kept behind in the Entrance Hall with McGonagall.

"You might want to keep your Fifth Year Prefect on a tighter leash, Severus," Stoker said quietly to Snape. "He called me a Mudblood. If he does so again, I will give him detention. And trust me, it won't be pleasant."

"I will notify him that you are not to be trifled with," Snape said. Although he hated conceding anything to any ally of Harry, he also didn't want his godson to come to harm. Pissing off the avatar of what was debatably the most powerful vampire in the world would ensure that Draco came to harm.

Soon, the First Years, plus Schrödinger, were led through. The Sorting Hat began singing about House unity, but Stoker didn't think it was possible. The House Points system was competitive by nature, and that was a double-edged sword. And sadly, each House, but especially Slytherin, had an elitist attitude to their own. With the exception of the Hufflepuffs, he was sure.

The First Years were Sorted, and then, Schrödinger's turn came (he actually called himself Niels for his first name, presumably after another quantum physicist, Niels Bohr). Stoker actually thought that the catboy looked adorable in those robes, with the Hat put onto his head. The official story was that he was a transfer, from what McGonagall said. He would have to talk to Dumbledore about Schrödinger, but later…

* * *

Schrödinger felt the Sorting Hat's mind tickle at his consciousness. "Oh, this is interesting. Such a hard life you have had, and yet…" The rustling voice of the Sorting Hat sighed. "You don't mind not being in the same House as your friend?"

Nein, _Herr Sorting Hat_.

"Well, perhaps your relationship can help bridge the divide between the Houses, or at least between two. And despite being indestructible by many senses of the term, it takes true bravery to escape from a place like Millennium. Therefore, it better be…"

* * *

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Stoker had to admit, she was surprised. But she clapped loudly anyway. Soon, the Feast began. Stoker could pretend to eat: she just derived no nutrition from food, and diverted the food through a magical portal in her mouth that led to the composting bins of the Hellsing Organisation. Waste not, want not.

Once the meal was over, Dumbledore stood to give a speech. Stoker noted, with more than a little irritation, that Umbridge interrupted Dumbledore, and made some meandering little bullshit speech spoken in saccharine-sweet words. It was clear from the phrases dotted amongst the speech that she was here as Fudge's hatchet-woman. And the way Umbridge shot Stoker a glare covertly once she finished, she thought that Stoker would be for the chop.

Stoker merely thought to herself, _Bitch, I eat people(_ _2)_.

* * *

Once Stoker had retired to her quarters, she connected to Harry. _Are you all right?_

 _No. People have been looking at me, scared, even First Years. And I had an argument with Seamus Finnegan, whose mother believes that trash in_ The Daily Prophet. _I knew this was coming, but…_

 _Remain steadfast, Harry. I believe you, and the people who matter believe you. These people, the ones who believe the lies in that rag not even fit for toilet paper, they aren't even dogs. A dog at least has teeth and claws to defend itself with. No, these are sheep, following a herd mentality. They have gone from praising Dumbledore and you already to vilifying you both. I personally would leave them to the wolves, but you are not me, Harry, nor would I ask you to emulate me. I will not dictate your moral choices, but I will also ask you to stand by them. That being said, I will ask you one thing: avoid pissing Umbridge off. She would like nothing more than to get an excuse to expel you and oust Dumbledore. In any case, pissing that bitch off is my job, and I intend to do it well. Goodnight, Harry. While pleasant dreams are not guaranteed, I wish them to you all the same._

 _Thanks_ , Harry responded, before the link cut off.

After a minute, Schrödinger appeared. " _Guten Abend_ , Alucard."

"Call me Stoker while I'm here and in this form, Schrödinger," Stoker said, erecting Privacy Charms. "It helps me stay in character. So, what do you want to say?"

"I have left Millennium for good," Schrödinger admitted, his cat ears reappearing. "Hopefully, they will have no means of dragging me back under their control. I have been staying with Luna Lovegood until then, and her father sent a letter to Hogwarts, asking if I can become a student. I'm glad I don't have to wear that _Hitlerjugend_ uniform anymore. Though these robes are certainly cumbersome. I can't wait to wear more casual clothing. Plus, while this isn't the first time I have been to Hogwarts, it's the first time I've been here overtly."

"Oh?"

"I would retrieve the items stolen from her by 'Nargles', bullies who steal her valuables and clothes," Schrödinger said. "I also frightened Professor McGonagall as a joke. Luna…she was my first friend outside of Millennium. And I only had two there anyway. You know both of them: Rip van Winkle, and the Captain."

Stoker frowned. She remembered van Winkle, of course, the myopic little soldier having a bad encounter with him, but the Captain? "Refresh my memory about him."

"He is a Loup-Garou," Schrödinger said.

Ah. Now Stoker remembered him. The Captain had kicked her in half during their battle. That sort of thing was pretty memorable. "Yes, I remember him."

"He had a message for you. The Captain said he wants to have a rematch with you. He was the one who helped me escape. He beat the _Scheisse_ out of me in order to make my escape look good, as well as to destroy the equipment holding me at Millennium. He wants to go out in a blaze of glory against you or any fledgling of yours."

"Then, should I be available, I will be more than happy to oblige him," Stoker said with a grin. "If you've been allowed to come here, you must have some magic."

Schrödinger nodded. "Luna gave me a crash-course in it, and due to my House Elf heritage, I have magic. I even went to Diagon Alley and got a wand. Alucard…I mean, Stoker…if you want me to tell you Millennium's plans, I will be happy to, if only to spite the Major and the Doctor. But even I need a good night's sleep. And besides, there's one element of Millennium's plans that I don't think you'll like. But I am on your side, or at least I will help you deal with this Umbridge. After all, I am everywhere and nowhere." He smirked. "And I think she is deserving of some pranks, _nicht wahr?_ "

Stoker's grin widened. "Great minds think alike. Just be assured, Schrödinger, if there is any treachery on your behalf, I will make you _wish_ you could die."

Schrödinger nodded. " _Jawohl_. Good night." And with that, the catboy vanished once more, leaving Stoker alone with her thoughts…

 **CHAPTER 10 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **And here you have it. I hope you liked it. For convenience's sake, whenever Stoker is the POV character, she will refer to herself with feminine pronouns, and the other characters will do so too.**

 **BTW, that one element of Millennium's plan that Schrödinger said that Alucard/Stoker wouldn't like? Well, it looks like Walter's treachery will be known to Alucard and Integra well before they learn in canon.**

 **Review-answering time!** **tamagat** **: I don't think Alucard really has much of a fighting style, other than 'let the enemy shoot/slash him up to lure them into a false sense of security, then fight back to make them piss their pants'. Harry will probably emulate Walter, with a bit of magic and other weapons mixed in.**

 **Black Wolf 101** **: Frankly, I can't be arsed writing the hearing. So no.**

 **ezok** **: I don't know how much Schrödinger can take with him. And nadir means rock-bottom, roughly.**

 **Leicontis** **: In terms of entertainment and characterisation. Harry, while his anger was understandable, frankly came off as a whiny angry little bitch, Umbridge was someone I truly hated, and the overall tone of the book was aggravating. It took me years before I even bothered to start reading the series again, and despite your misgivings, I actually enjoyed the last two books immensely. Luna was the brightest spot in Book Five.**

 **Lydia-Hood** **: Nitpicker. The Captain wants to have a battle against either Alucard or one of his progeny. He probably wants to fight someone who has a chance of beating him.**

 **1\. Most of you will think I am having Stoker quote** ** _Monty Python and the Holy Grail_** **, but in fact, I am actually having her quote another eldritch entity in human form: Angleton from Charles Stross' Laundry series.**

 **2\. Alucard's infamous declaration to Integra at the end of Episode 2 of** ** _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_** **.**


	12. Chapter 11: The Traitor

**CHAPTER 11:**

 **THE TRAITOR**

The 2nd of September was a Saturday, and Stoker had suggested that Schrödinger see Sir Integra and Alucard's main body, with Seras along with them. Schrödinger agreed, but on the condition that nobody else was there. When pressed for why, he had said, " _You have a traitor in Hellsing._ "

In her office, Integra glared at the catboy, now dressed in Hogwarts robes. "You have my attention, Schrödinger. Do not waste my time. What did you wish to discuss?"

"The identities of key personnel of Millennium," Schrödinger said. "You already know of the Major and the Doctor. Alucard, through his alter-ego of Stoker, already knows of the Captain and Lieutenant Rip van Winkle. But there are a few others you should know about. Going back to Rip van Winkle, she now uses an enchanted musket that can fire a musket ball that can penetrate armour plate, as well as shift position at her command. Then, there is Lieutenant Zorin Blitz. Impulsive and sadistic, she uses mystical powers to ensnare her foes in illusions. She also wields a scythe in combat. There are also other, lesser agents of Millennium who are waiting to be activated both here in England, and abroad. I am not privy to all of them, but I can tell you who to look out for."

"Continue," Integra said.

"In Brazil, there is Tubalcain Alhambra, aka 'the Dandy Man'. He is a former magical assassin who uses razor-sharp playing cards to attack, enchanted in a way that makes the resulting wounds hard to heal. In England, they have sent over Luke and Jan Valentine, former American hitmen whom they have turned into vampires. And, of course, there is Millennium's spy within Hellsing itself."

"And his name?"

Schrödinger knew that the name would provoke outrage and anger. Hesitantly, he said, "Walter C Dornez."

Predictably, Integra leapt to her feet, slamming her gloved hands on the desk. "WHAT?! Walter, a Millennium spy?! How dare you?!"

Curiously, Alucard's reaction was quieter, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Elucidate."

"During your attack on the facilities in Warsaw, the Major and the Doctor made an offer to Walter. Walter was jealous of you, Alucard. For a time, he acted as our spy in Hellsing, diverting your investigations away while what would become Millennium set up shop in Brazil, helped partly by elements within the Vatican. But then, he ceased reporting for a time, and eventually, you were sealed away. Millennium then suborned your uncle, Sir Integra."

Integra paled as the implications hit her, tears glistening in her eyes. " _My little Fraulein_ , he called me when he was trying to kill me, and I never realised why. Are you saying…Walter's vacation during that time was no coincidence?"

" _Jawohl_. Walter had been persuaded by your uncle to re-establish contact with Millennium," Schrödinger admitted. "I believe part of the reason why Walter ceased sending us reports was because he gained a form of paternal affection for you, Sir Integra. But Millennium played on his desire to become Alucard's equal, if not his superior. Sir Integra, I am sorry to tell you these things. But this is the reality of the situation."

"And why would you help us, then? What do you hope to gain?" Integra asked.

"A life. One free from the masterplan set out for me by an obsessed old man with a fixation on killing an immortal monster. I was to sacrifice myself to try and ensure Alucard's defeat. Even if Millennium perished during its assault on England, as long as Alucard ceased to be, the Major would have died happy. And make no mistake, they intend to wage war on this country still. My defection is only a setback to defeating Alucard. I would not be surprised if they try to invade England anyway. They're fanatics." Schrödinger looked pensive. "Luna was my first friend outside Millennium. Now, she's my only friend. She is the reason I left Millennium, because if I went through with the plan, I would never see her again. Sir Integra, I know you have little reason to trust me. I cannot offer you any concrete reason to do so. Even I do not know the full timetable of the Major's plans, as he dances along to his own tune." Schrödinger chuckled. "Actually, the men call him an Acting Führer, and it pisses off the Old Men of the Opera House no end."

"Old Men of the Opera House?" Seras asked.

"Nominally our superior officers, but they do little but dream about the glory of creating the Fourth Reich, and bitch and moan about how the Major seems to be doing little, especially to giving them immortality. They are bitter and twisted old men, and while the Major is an evil little man, he is at least more interesting than those old relics are."

"I'm curious, actually," Alucard said. "How did the Major live this long? I doubt it was virtuous living."

"You would be correct, Alucard. The Major and the Doctor are no longer human. They are not vampires, though, they have this insistence on 'retaining their humanity', which is laughable, considering that they had little to begin with. They are cyborgs, almost completely machine now. Even so, the Major insists that he is still a human being enough to defeat a monster such as yourself, Alucard."

Alucard chuckled darkly. "I am sure that one day, I can engage in a debate with him on the matter. I will debate him to _pieces_."

Integra frowned. "There may be one way to establish your bona fides, Schrödinger. Would you be willing to undergo questioning under the influence of Veritaserum?"

"If it would put your mind at ease, I would be more than willing. I am not sure what effect it may have on me, though. I am not wholly human, remember?"

"I could always drink Walter's blood, Master," Alucard said. "I'd be able to tell whether he is treacherous or not."

"We'll subject Schrödinger to Veritaserum first. I believe Professor Snape has some in his personal stock, correct?"

Alucard nodded. "He used some on Barty Crouch Junior after the Tri-Wizard Tournament fiasco, according to Harry. Apropos of nothing, Albus is talking to me about something very interesting…"

* * *

Dumbledore soothed an agitated Fawkes (who hated being in the same room as an ancient vampire), his lips pursed in thought, as Stoker looked on. After a while, Dumbledore managed to gather his reserves of courage, and asked, "How good is your Occlumency?"

"Superlative. Given that I have consumed many souls and many lives, as you know, any Legilimency would be hard pressed to tell one set of memories from another," Stoker said. She was perversely pleased to see Dumbledore shudder at the reminder that she, or rather, Alucard, was very much a monster.

"Then I need to speak to you on a matter of vital importance. It is only because you share with me a vested interest in Harry's survival and Voldemort's downfall that I am even speaking to you of this. Tell me, Stoker, what do you know of Horcruxes?"

Stoker frowned, before getting up from her seat, and pacing pensively. The term was a familiar one, and going through the memories of those she had consumed, she soon realised why. "A truly dark magical ritual," she muttered. "I obtained immortality, as you know, through the consumption of the souls of those I feed on for blood, which bolsters the immortality vampirism grants. But a Horcrux goes about things a different way: namely by _splitting_ the soul of a person, and placing part of the split soul into a physical object. It is basically a variation of the concept of a phylactery. In order to split the soul, a certain ritual should be performed beforehand, and then, the would-be Horcrux-maker must commit an act of cold-blooded murder. That way, should their physical body perish, their soul will be anchored to the mortal plane. Of course, dividing one's soul is an imbecilic thing to do. Can I assume that Voldemort had done so?"

Dumbledore nodded. "I believe he has made several. During Harry's Second Year, one of the students was being controlled by a Horcrux within a diary once belonging to Voldemort. At the time Voldemort had that diary, he was known to the world at large as Tom Marvolo Riddle, and he created the name 'Voldemort' based on an anagram of his full name. Thankfully, the diary was destroyed, and the student, Ginny Weasley, was saved before the Horcrux took her over entirely."

"And how was it destroyed?"

"A Basilisk fang. Harry used it to stab the book."

"Classy. Any others you suspect?"

"I suspect, but I do not know, save for one," Dumbledore said. His usually-twinkling blue eyes were now as hard as stone when he looked at Stoker. "I am certain that there is a Horcrux in Harry."

Stoker blinked, before she scowled. "What? There is a fragment…of Voldemort's soul…in my grandson?" she growled.

"I have subjected him to covert testing via discreet spells. There is a Horcrux within him. I have suspected it since his survival at the age of one, and I confirmed it when he first arrived at Hogwarts. I believe that Voldemort made so many Horcruxes, his soul was rendered unstable, and when he attempted to kill Harry, preparing to use Harry's death to create his next Horcrux, the backlash shattered his soul, causing a fragment to enter Harry's scar. And to my knowledge, the only means of removing it would end in his death, at least until recently," Dumbledore said. "I have enough on my conscience as it is. I am at my wit's end trying to find a means of removing the Horcrux from Harry that will not end in his death. That is why, albeit with the utmost reluctance, I am asking for your help. You are known for your extensive knowledge of the Dark Arts, even more than perhaps anyone alive today."

Stoker walked over to a cabinet filled with all sorts of instruments, whirling away. Eventually, she said, "There are a few ways to remove the Horcrux without killing Harry…permanently, at least. The first is that you use a lethal curse, and then, I convert him into a vampire." Stoker chuckled darkly at the shocked expression on Dumbledore's face, before holding up a finger. "However, I do know that the Goblins have rituals that could remove the Horcrux. I ate a cursebreaker who happened to be travelling on the _Demeter_ when I was travelling to England during that whole affair that Bram Stoker wrote about. He had been travelling back from an expedition to my home country, and had to deal with a Horcrux in a valuable artifact. The Goblins, apparently, had a ritual to purge the Horcrux without damaging the artifact. They come across Horcruxes on rare occasions at Gringotts, what with their expeditions to tombs and to repossess artifacts from debtors. Whether it will harm Harry, I don't know. But if he dies, I can convert him into a full vampire. That is perhaps our best option. The other techniques have far less guarantee of success."

"Can the Goblins be counted on to be discreet?" Dumbledore asked.

"I'm sure they'd enjoy sticking it sideways to Voldemort, and enough Galleons will ensure their discretion," Stoker said. "Besides, the only other person I think might know anything better, well, we haven't talked for years…"

* * *

It is a truism that knowledge is power, although it is more how one uses the knowledge that grants power. And one of those who used that information to the utmost owned, amongst other things, a horror-themed museum in London known as the Blood Bath Gallery of Horrors. From the fictional Sweeney Todd to the very real and elusive Jack the Ripper, from John George Haigh to the tortures and executions in the Tower of London. London, like many a large city, has a bloody and messy past many would sooner wish to forget.

And yet, in this gathering place for the ghoulish and macabre, there was a hidden dark side, a darkness that cast a shadow on darkness itself. Behind hidden doors, the proprietor was currently listening to a wizard of rather dubious repute known as Mundungus 'Dung' Fletcher. The proprietor knew the man's sort: during the Blitz, she had had dealings with the 'spivs', the black marketeers who sold items the rationing-affected Londoners couldn't get normally. Fletcher was a spiv in Magical Britain. What was more, he was a reliable source of information. She paid in coin, or in kind, giving him information for him to use, sometimes for use by the Order of the Phoenix, that amusing little vigilante group Dumbledore set up to combat Voldemort.

"So, this information is accurate?" the woman asked. She was known in most circles as Crimson. Few knew her real name.

Fletcher nodded. "Well, Dumbledore told us about it, didn't he? That Potter lad was at Hellsing until he went to Hogwarts. And he went to that hearing with that bloody vampire, Alucard."

Crimson nodded. Her masses of crimson, curly hair framed a face that was beautiful, but had the air of a predator about it, like some elegant jungle cat, as did her green eyes. Her lithe, sensuous body was something models would kill to have. She was dressed in an elegant suit that nonetheless managed to show quite a bit of her abundant cleavage.

Crimson knew about what happened at the hearing. In truth, she wanted to see if Fletcher had anything further to add. And when she prompted him, he said, "Well, that Sirius Black bloke and Remus Lupin went to Hellsing as well. They're staying there. That's what I heard."

Useful information, in the right hands. "Thank you, Mr Fletcher." She handed him a wallet filled with Galleons. "You may go. Remember to keep silent."

As the frankly disgusting little man scurried out, Crimson stood, and walked over to a mirror, gazing at herself in it. As she did so, she thought, _Ah, Vlad. You never could stay out of trouble, could you? Even when Abraham van Helsing put you on a leash, made you his family's vicious little attack dog, you can't help it? Even so, you're still interesting, to say the least. And so too is your progeny, OUR progeny. I wonder if you know yet, Vlad. You're not stupid, but there are times when you fail to see what is obvious. Like charms hiding my identity, as well as a memory spell to remove your memories of what was, admittedly, a pretty damn good night. Seriously, I actually felt more alive that night than I had in centuries. A shame I had to Obliviate you. It's tricky to do to a master vampire, but I managed_.

With a gentle sigh, Crimson walked through the wall, and into her private chambers. She stripped off her clothing, and then entered the bathroom, cancelling the stasis charm on the bath as she did so. To many, the smell of so much blood would have been disgusting, nauseating, sickening. But to her, it was enticing. She lowered herself into its warm, comforting embrace, soaking in the blood. She was more careful nowadays how she obtained her blood, even when she wanted it fresh and warm. The world may be more careful about how they investigated crimes, but, for the most part, they had dismissed the supernatural.

She carefully sunk herself into the crimson liquid, allowing it to enter her lungs and gullet, her body convulsing in ecstasy rather than from lack of oxygen. Any human would have drowned. But it had been a long time since Crimson, born under the name of Countess Elizabeth Bathory de Ecsed, had been human…

 **CHAPTER 11 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **What a chapter, huh? Besides Walter getting exposed, we have a new player. Although she has never appeared in either the manga or both anime versions, Elizabeth Bathory has been associated with vampirism in fiction. I actually originally intended, when I thought about it, to have Lucy Westenra as Harry's mysterious grandmother. But a lot of you clamoured for Elizabeth Bathory, and I'll be frank, it was a better idea than trying to figure out how Lucy survived being staked by van Helsing and his merry band. For those of you who are wondering, I had this notion that Bathory, in this fic at least, resembles a younger Polly Walker, as she appears in** ** _Patriot Games_** **, but with the curls she has as Atia in** ** _Rome_** **.**

 **And yes, it looks like poor Walter (well, not really poor) is going to get a rude awakening. I've decided what is going to happen to him, too: he's going to be forced to become one of Alucard's familiars.**

 **And yes, I've gone down the clichéd route of the Goblins having a ritual that can get rid of a Horcrux. I know it's fanon, but it's** ** _plausible_** **fanon. You don't like it? Bite me.**

 **…Wait, that's an unfortunate turn of phrase for a fanfic involving vampires, innit?**

 **Review-answering time!** **tamagat** **: Sadly, you'll be disappointed, though Alucard may bring out Walter (as a familiar) to train Harry.**

 **paladin3030** **: Stoker will be wearing the hat, but she will refrain from using firearms for the most part. While she'd love to scare the students, she's also going to avoid giving Umbridge ammo for firing her. When I saw the comment about the Tommy Gun, though, I realised Harry may be getting an heirloom weapon from his grandfather. It will make its first appearance in the Badrick mission…**

 **Gabriel Herrol** **: See above. The Horcrux won't be a familiar…but who says that Voldemort won't be?**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	13. Chapter 12: Family Values

**CHAPTER 12:**

 **FAMILY VALUES**

Alucard watched as Snape, having been summoned by Floo to the Hellsing Organisation, administered the antidote to the Veritaserum to Schrödinger. The catboy's interrogation under the potion went pretty much the same as before, and Snape was able to tell that Schrödinger was telling the truth, that he wasn't faking the trance people were put into while under the influence. It was cold comfort to Integra, Seras, and even Alucard. Alucard had thought of Walter as one of his true friends. To betray Hellsing and Integra to become a monster, all so he could regain some pride and wipe away his disgust at his ageing body…

 _You stupid bloody fool, Walter_ , Alucard thought to himself. The betrayal was so bad, Alucard actually was fighting back tears, though vampires didn't cry. Not often, anyway. Tears glistened in his eyes regardless. Walter had been on about how the English aged with grace and dignity. Clearly, he had been lying through his teeth.

Once Snape left, Integra, her own eyes glistening with tears, nonetheless levelled a hardened gaze at Alucard. "Alucard. You know what to do," she said in a voice husky with emotion.

"Indeed, Master," Alucard said. "I will make Walter one of my familiars. That way, we can fool Millennium into thinking things were still all right at Hellsing. But he would remain completely under my control. He wanted to live forever and have power. What an irony it would be for him to be under my thrall."

"I can't believe it," Seras muttered. "He seemed like such a nice old man."

"Which goes to show, Police Girl, that judging by appearances is folly," Alucard said. "Master, may I be excused to deal with a traitor?"

Integra nodded, and said, solemnly, her voice quavering with suppressed emotion, "Search and destroy, Alucard. _Search and destroy_."

"Your will be done," Alucard replied, before sinking through the floor. Time to put paid to a traitor…

* * *

Schrödinger looked at where Alucard had gone through the floor solemnly, his ears pressed to his head in a manner that suggested sadness and contrition. " _Entschuldigung_ , Sir Integra," the catboy said quietly.

Integra nodded, before moving back to her desk, taking a handkerchief from her coat and wiping her eyes. "Walter has been there for me since I was born," the young woman said, her voice quavering with grief and rage. "It is sentiment and attachment, amongst other things, that had blinded me to his treachery."

"Not just that, Sir Integra," Schrödinger said gently. "Walter was also an excellent agent. And I believe he truly cared about you."

"Just not enough to ensure his loyalty," Integra said bitterly. "Some of the Round Table believe I am too young to have this command, of the Royal Order of Protestant Knights, of Hellsing. They think I lack the resolve and drive. I may have to convene a meeting of the Round Table, so that I may warn them about Millennium."

"What is this Round Table you're talking about?" Seras asked.

"The Council of Twelve," Integra said. "Members of the nobility who are well-placed in society and the government, and our financiers as well. It is to them, as well as to Her Majesty, that I answer. Maybe dealing with Walter's treachery promptly will help get them off my back. Most of them are much older men, some with somewhat…traditional views on women." She looked over at Schrödinger, her eyes bloodshot. "Schrödinger, I may need you at the meeting I will convene."

"I understand. But Millennium does have people within the organisations headed by the Round Table. I don't know specific names, though," Schrödinger said apologetically. "And I believe Millennium intended to send the Valentine brothers to attack the next Round Table meeting they hear about, along with an army of trained ghouls."

"Then we will prepare accordingly," Integra said. "I want you to wait here until Alucard comes back, before you head back to Hogwarts, Schrödinger."

A few minutes later, Alucard came back, a look of sadness on his face, even as he wiped blood from his mouth. "Master…it is done. I have confirmed Walter's treachery…and turned him into my familiar, under my thrall."

Integra sat down heavily. "So…you told the truth, Schrödinger. I wish you hadn't. You may go. But I may need to call on you again."

"Just call for me, Sir Integra," Schrödinger said quietly, with a sad smile. "I will come if I am free to do so. But remember, I do this for Luna and myself, not for Hellsing."

* * *

In Gringotts, Stoker was peering at a piece of parchment while waiting for the ritual to finish, Dumbledore fretting as he looked on. It was a Sunday, and thankfully, Harry was free to undergo the ritual. He would be tired on Monday. Stoker, however, was peering at the parchment, trying to take her mind off what she had learned from her main body as Alucard, that Walter was a traitor, and he had confirmed it. It meant Stoker and Alucard would have to tutor Harry in how to use the wires, using the knowledge taken from Walter.

Many things were troubling Stoker. Walter's treachery, Millennium's resurgence, their using of Voldemort and the Death Eaters, and Harry having to undergo this ritual. The Goblins were making sure the ritual went off without a hitch: they knew better than to piss off even the avatar of one of the most powerful vampires to have ever lived.

But there was one thing bothering Stoker. Which was why she asked the Goblins for an inheritance test. And now, she had in front of her in black and white…well, if parchment was white.

There, above Lily Evans, were her parents, and thus, Harry's grandparents. There was 'Vlad III of the Draculesti', the name that Stoker's main body answered to centuries ago. But the grandmother…

 _Elizabeth Bathory de Ecsed_.

That answered many questions. If there was any vampire capable of seducing Alucard without his remembering it, it was Bathory. And Stoker remembered that Bathory had red hair and green eyes, like Lily Evans.

Suddenly, Stoker's thoughts were interrupted when Dumbledore approached. "They've finished the ritual. Harry's heart stopped, but only briefly. He's still alive, thank Merlin."

"I think that is more a testament to my grandson's willpower than the generosity of the long-deceased Merlin," Stoker observed. Harry had been led by a pair of Goblins to get changed out of the ritual robes and back into his Hogwarts uniform. "However, have you seen this?"

Dumbledore took the proffered parchment, and when he read it, he paled, understandably. "Bathory…so that is who Harry's grandmother is…"

"Yes. Lily Evans, from what pictures I have seen of her, does resemble Bathory to a degree," Stoker said. "Red hair, green eyes unless her vampirism was coming to the fore. While you flattered me by saying that I had more knowledge about the Dark Arts than anyone living, the sad truth is, Bathory's knowledge would far outstrip mine. I daresay that we are, more or less, equally matched, or at least we were, before Hellsing experimented on me. Even now, I would be hard-pressed to beat her in combat. And the truth is, the last time I remember meeting her, we parted on less than amicable terms. She visited me in Transylvania, perhaps a century or so before Johnathan Harker came to me. My brides insulted her, and as their sire, I was obligated to take their side. Considering that she had called them slatterns, she should have expected the insult. We fought, and I cast her from my castle, barring her from my lands. However, we have not always been on bad terms. We have even been lovers before. Though I have to wonder why she resorted to subterfuge to get a child from me. Bathory may have had her whims, but to go to all this trouble…I doubt it was to create a vampire weapon against me. We've had our differences, but not enough to kill each other, to my knowledge."

Dumbledore remained silent, until Harry finally exited the changing area, looking woozy. "Come along, Harry. It's time we got you back…"

* * *

When they were escorted to the lobby of Gringotts, however, Stoker noticed the woman waiting there first. "She's here," she said quietly.

"Who?" Harry asked, tired from the Horcrux removal.

"I think you're going to meet your grandmother sooner than I thought," Stoker said.

Harry watched as the red-haired woman sitting down at a bench, wearing an elegant dress, stood. She had masses of blood-red hair, framing an almost feline face. Her eyes were green, like his own, but cold. Her full lips were smirking. She was beautiful, but her whole demeanour set Harry on edge. "Well, it's been a long time, hasn't it?" she purred.

"It has. How did you know we were here?" Stoker asked.

"A charm I cast over the Gringotts inheritance determination equipment. The moment a relation of mine is found, I am notified. And to my knowledge, the only direct descendant of mine still alive is standing right here," the woman said, before looking at Harry. Quietly, she said, "Hello, Harry Potter. I'm Elizabeth Bathory, your grandmother."

The tiredness from the ritual, combined with the shock of the information, proved too much for Harry. Darkness claimed him, toppling to the floor…

* * *

Dumbledore glared at the two vampires as he picked up Harry, helped by a spell. "I will see you back at Hogwarts, Stoker." Then, the old wizard left, scowling, carrying Harry with him.

Bathory scoffed gently. "Oh my, I wasn't expecting our grandchild to be such a lightweight."

"He's just been through a tiring ritual," Stoker replied. "We'll talk in private."

They made their way to the Leaky Cauldron, where Bathory erected various privacy wards. "Are you going to look like you normally do, Vlad?"

Stoker scowled, before she transformed back into her habitual form as Alucard. He harrumphed. "I haven't let anyone call me that in years."

"I don't doubt it," Bathory said with a giggle. "I like my old name. Well, I was called Erzsebet back in the old country rather than Elizabeth, but you know what I mean. But it is risky to call myself by my old name. Then again, calling yourself by your name in reverse…was it you or van Helsing that came up with such an asinine idea?"

"Don't you _dare_ disrespect Abraham van Helsing," Alucard growled warningly.

"I don't deny the man's brilliance or ability, Alucard. He, along with those others, managed to defeat you, and that's a major feat," Bathory said. "I'm just disputing the man's ability for creating a decent pseudonym for you. I was actually newly arrived in Britain when you had your little misadventure. A fledgling of mine had come to England, and was preying upon prostitutes in Whitechapel a few years before you came here."

Alucard blinked. "Your fledgling was Jack the Ripper?"

"That was the name the public gave her, ignorant that she was a woman, and a vampire to boot," Bathory said with a scoff. "She posed as a midwife, when in truth, she was butchering her victims to use as her familiars, as well as gathering materials in a ritual to try and destroy me. I destroyed her. Of course, not all of the murders of prostitutes in Whitechapel at the time were caused by her. But that is aside from the point. You want to know about Lily Evans, don't you?"

"Of course, considering she was a daughter I never knew I had," Alucard said.

Bathory chuckled softly. "There were many reasons why I deigned to have a child of my own, and not just a fledgling. The first, I'll admit, was out of boredom: it had been centuries since I had a child of my own. The second was to test a ritual to hide the abilities and weaknesses of a pure-born vampire I had developed. Make them seem completely human. Pure-breds can eat without needing blood for a time. Amongst my contacts were the Evans. They were pleased to receive Lily, as they wanted a new child. The third is that I wanted to create a pure-born vampire with more strengths and less weaknesses. Lily was a prototype for the ultimate vampire. Of course, I couldn't bind all of her magic, and those fools at Hogwarts found her. Thankfully, she didn't know of her heritage: her adoptive parents made sure of that. I did give them an adoption potion to allow her to share some of their genes."

"Which means that the blood wards would have worked to a degree after all," Alucard mused. "I didn't see that on the heritage test, though."

"That's because it made the genetic relation distant. If there were blood wards, they would not have been too strong."

"Looks like that old fool had the right idea, as much as it galls me to say it," Alucard said. "But why create the ultimate vampire?"

"Out of boredom, frankly," Bathory said, with a shrug. "Our kind is powerful and feared, but with many weaknesses. I was hoping to use Lily as a means to breed out the weaknesses in our kind, using the ritual to suppress the weaknesses permanently. I believe the appropriate idiom here is 'a girl needs a hobby'. Of course, I only appeared to Lily a few times, posing as her Aunt Elizabeth. It wasn't until she graduated Hogwarts and fell in with James Potter that I revealed to her her true heritage. She didn't take it well, but by that point, it was moot: most of our weaknesses were no longer present in her, and she refused to have the bindings removed, bindings which may have passed onto Harry. James Potter, thankfully, proved to be understanding, but he kept it from all others, and I was considered _persona non grata_ in the Potter household. It wasn't until shortly before they went into hiding at Godric's Hollow that she contacted me again, out of desperation. She wanted to find a spell that would protect Harry from Voldemort under all circumstances. I found the very ritual she used: only a vampire or one with vampiric blood can use it, but it is a very rare vampire who will willingly give their life to protect another. And as much as I didn't want to see decades of work wasted, I found myself intrigued by her son. Lily could have resisted the Killing Curse, but instead, she was willing to give up her life to give Harry total protection against Voldemort."

"Up until Voldemort used Harry's blood to revive himself," Alucard said.

"Yes, I know. I have informants within the Death Eaters, and throughout Magical Britain. I went to collect Harry from 4 Privet Drive, for I was aware of where Petunia lived. However, powerful wards blocked me. I believe that old fool Dumbledore erected them against vampires as a precaution. Oddly enough, they also suppressed Harry's dhampir nature, though to my knowledge, Dumbledore never knew about either Lily or Harry's parentage. I decided, at the time, that Harry wasn't my problem, and although I kept an eye on him through my informants, I went to work on my own little empire within Britain and Europe. The information age is upon us, after all. In fact, it has been for a long time, but technology is enabling it at faster rates, thanks to telephones, and computer networks. It was amusing to see this myth spring up around Harry, the Boy Who Lived."

"Amusing?" Alucard asked with a dangerous tone. "That is our progeny we are talking about."

"And if I were to approach him, to tell him that I was his vampire grandmother, how would he react? He knows something already, doesn't he? But had I approached him sooner, he would have reacted badly."

"Given the childhood or lack thereof he had at the Dursleys, I wouldn't be surprised if he was desperate enough to go with you had he offered," Alucard pointed out. "Or he might have appreciated knowing the truth of his heritage."

"Well, hindsight is 20/20, as they say, Alucard, and I'd prefer to observe from afar, until he truly needs me. Incidentally, what was that ritual he had just gone through?"

"He had been turned into a Horcrux by accident, thanks to Voldemort," Alucard said.

"Oh my, what an interesting development. A Horcrux residing within a dhampir, and by accident no less," Bathory tittered. "I knew Voldemort was obsessed with immortality. Indeed, he sought me out once to ask whether I knew anything about the Deathly Hallows, as well as dangers associated with Horcrux creation." Her face became serious. "Harry will need to get stronger. The potential is there, and if he is aware that he is a dhampir, then it means he can start getting stronger even still. Voldemort may not be a danger to either of us, but to Harry, he is. I am neutral in these affairs, and I doubt that Harry will want my help anyway. But if you have his trust, then you can make him stronger. Incidentally, are you aware that the Major you fought in Warsaw is still alive?"

"I found out not long ago. One of his operatives defected, and I confirmed it when I made Walter one of my familiars."

"What? Oh, so Walter C Dornez, the infamous Angel of Death, was a traitor? I heard that there was a plant inside Hellsing, but I didn't know it was him. However, if you want information on Millennium that the defector didn't give you, then by all means, feel free to contact me, Alucard. You've already given me interesting offspring. Consider that payment for information for a while. If you need to contact me, ask for Crimson at the Blood Bath Museum."

"And you're not going to help?" Alucard asked, annoyed. "I give you a child without my permission, and you expect me to forgive that?"

"Of course not, but you and I have done far worse than that, Alucard, even as humans. Rape, torture, murder…if anything, of late, as vampires, we've actually _mellowed_. You use your talents for Hellsing, and I have built my own little discreet empire. Besides, I am no real threat to your organisation and the human who holds your leash, unless I choose to be. In any case, I can give you magic spells and rituals even you may not know, and which may be of use to Harry. He is still young, after all. And between Voldemort and Millennium, Harry, and indeed yourself, will need all the help you can get…"

 **CHAPTER 12 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, here you have it: the first meeting Bathory has with Alucard and Harry. She will play a more background role in this story: she doesn't like to get involved directly, preferring to pull the strings for her own amusement. She only gets involved if she is directly threatened.**

 **Review-answering time!** **tamagat** **: As stated earlier, I've decided on a Harry/Hermione pairing. Originally, I had considered a Harry/Luna pairing.**

 **roanoak** **: Hmm, fair point. I'll work on that later. However, I've already got a notion in my head that Bathory is a more magic-oriented vampire.**

 **robert32514** **: No, she's dead. Then again…**

 **Thespurgin** **: Fletcher doesn't know Crimson as Bathory, or he'd be shitting his pants and running a mile. Even so, he knows Crimson is a very scary woman.**

 **KainVixenheim** **: Elucidate, as you discovered, is pretty much the same as elaborate. There's a wonderful joke in an episode of** ** _The Goodies_** **,** ** _Kung Fu Kapers_** **, where Bill Oddie says (regarding his martial art) "Allow me to elucidate". Whereupon Graeme Garden promptly says "You do and you clean it up yourself." That episode actually caused a man to die laughing, with the widow sending a letter to the Goodies thanking them for making her husband's last moments so pleasurable. True story. No, really.**

 **Heika** **: I've not seen any episodes of the original anime adaptation. Instead, I've read the original manga and the first four episodes of the** ** _Hellsing Ultimate_** **OVAs. Therefore, I can't write a character whom I know nothing about.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	14. Chapter 13: The Best Defence

**CHAPTER 13:**

 **THE BEST DEFENCE…**

Stoker was trying to restrain herself from simply _eating_ Umbridge. Sadly, there were a few reasons why she couldn't. Firstly, Fudge would definitely notice her absence and may do something that would make things worse. Secondly, it would not do to expose herself, as a vampire teaching at Hogwarts would cause a scandal, and while she didn't care, it would alienate Dumbledore, as well as other potential allies. And thirdly, Stoker knew that if she ate Umbridge, that Batrachian Bitch would be repeating on her for months.

Even so, the will to resist the urge to feast on some Toad in the Hole was fading. "...paying attention to me?" she asked in her saccharine sweet voice, laced with more poison than one of Locusta's special cake recipes.

"Not really," Stoker said. "I've heard it all before. You're saying that Defence Against the Dark Arts should be dumbed down, because there is nothing to fear, because the Ministry will save you, blah, blah, blah."

"I am the High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, and I command your respect!" Umbridge snapped.

"No, you're _demanding_ my _attention_ ," Stoker retorted snidely. "Look, let's go about this logically. I mean, you are capable of following a logical argument, otherwise you wouldn't have gotten as high as you have in the Ministry…unless you've been exchanging favours, though why anyone would want to…exchange favours with you, I have no idea. Unless they have a thing for anthropomorphic toads." As Umbridge spluttered, Stoker held up a finger. "Let's assume that you and Fudge are right, that Lord Voldemort is dead forever. But what is there to stop other dark lords from rising? Voldemort is merely the latest man with an ego in inverse proportion to the size of his penis. Grindlewald, Ekrizdis, Herpo the Foul…and these are just a small selection. Another dark lord will arise, a fact that is as solid as the floor of this room. And even if one doesn't, there are still criminals of Magical Britain, not to mention vampires, and werewolves, and Dementors…if you think that robbing children of the education needed to become the next generation of Aurors is a good idea, then I want a hit of whatever you're smoking, because it must be pretty strong shit."

"Hellsing scum," Umbridge sneered. "You'll be out of this position before the month is out."

"Well, that will be a pyrrhic victory," Stoker said. "After all, I am sure Her Majesty will ensure that the same thing happens to _you_. Muggle or not, she is your monarch, she is aware of your world, oh, and she also has Alucard on speed-dial. And Alucard has eaten more people like you than he can count. And kindly keep your hand away from your wand. I heard what Alucard did to both your hand and your wand when you first met, and if you try to curse me, I will endeavour to emulate him."

Before Umbridge could make any kind of retort, students began filing in. Stoker grinned. Oh, this was gonna be a treat…

* * *

"First off, let's see how smart you guys are," Stoker said to the students, the Fifth Year Gryffindors and Slytherins, once they had gathered. "If I see someone casting a spell at me, what's the best strategy, nine times out of ten? You, Mr Malfoy was it? What would you do?"

The blonde-haired little ponce said, "Use a Shield Charm."

Stoker emitted a noise like a buzzer in a quiz show. "No, but thanks for playing. Don't get me wrong, it's a very useful charm to know, and I'll give five points to Slytherin for answering with that. But unless you cast it on yourself well in advance, or else you have good reflexes and the ability to cast it in battle, the truth is that the spell you're defending yourself against may hit you before you can cast it. Anyone else?"

"Dodging? Making sure you have something between you and the spell?" Ron asked.

"Better. Much better. That's what I was looking for, Mr Weasley. Ten points to Gryffindor. Now, you may think, what's the point of that when you have spells? Well, even the Killing Curse, if it hits something solid rather than a magical barrier, will be dissipated. They call it an unblockable curse, but in truth, that only relates to magical barriers. Cover is a vital part of any kind of combat, especially if you're trying to defend yourself. But of course, running and hiding is not the be-all and end-all of combat by any means. So…"

" _Hem, hem_."

Stoker sighed, before she handed over a packet of throat lozenges. "Here's some Strepsils for that throat of yours."

"I just wanted to interject, and say that…"

"Take the Strepsils, and shut up. You are not a teacher. Not now. Not ever."

"How dare you?! I…"

"INTERRUPT ME AGAIN, UMBRIDGE! _SEE WHAT HAPPENS!_ " Stoker roared, cowing the toad-woman into admittedly temporary silence. After a moment, she said, "Now, before I was so rudely interrupted, I was going to go over the spells I was going to teach you. Basic defensive spells like Stunners, Shield Charms, and so on. And you can also use other spells for similar purposes. A bird conjuring spell, for example, can distract an opponent for long enough for you to get a decisive hit. Now…"

" _Hem, hem_ …"

Stoker sighed again, before casting a Body-Bind on Umbridge. As the odious woman froze in her seat, Stoker smirked. "See what I mean? Miss Umbridge is now currently vulnerable to attack. Also, let that be a warning to you. Don't be insolent to me, and I won't humiliate you."

 _You know she's going to come after you even more after that?_ Harry asked via their mental link.

 _Yeah, but I'm going to see if she's trainable, like the dog she is. I mean, she isn't even a toad. Hey, there's a thought. Maybe I should bring Baskerville out to play._

 _Won't Baskerville eat her?_ Harry asked, having been shown the eldritch hellhound once by Alucard, who was showing off his restraint release levels. So had Hermione, unfortunately.

 _Not if I order him not to. He's a good little hellhound._

 _Stoker, Hermione needed Dreamless Sleep potion for a few days after seeing you at Level 1, not to mention seeing Baskerville, and I'm sure her new Boggart is you at Level 1. You're here to teach these guys, not traumatise them._

 _Meh, operant conditioning needs a little trauma to work. Now, let's teach these kids some real things_ …

* * *

That night, Hellsing was called out to the outskirts of Birmingham. While Harry could have taken a Portkey back there to participate (as a dhampir, he needed less and less sleep), they didn't want to rouse the annoyance of the Batrachian Bitch (who'd be keeping an eye on Harry, and they were still making arrangements to bring him in on weekend hunts), so, instead as Harry lay back, he watched through Alucard and Seras' eyes what happened.

Apparently a pair of vampires had slaughtered a bunch of devout Anglican families, daubing obscene messages on the wall. Alucard, ironically, was one of those the vampires were appealing to: he pointed out a message saying ' _From the deep darkness to the No-Life King_ '.

Seras was going to use this as a field test of the 'third eye', the ability of a vampire to see for long distances and see through enchantments and illusions. She had been practising for some time, and had finally gotten the hang of it, even as she lamented the fact that she seemed to be becoming less human. Harry had reassured her.

As Alucard approached the door, he listened in to one of the vampires saying, "…cops can't do _shit_ to us! We're invincible and immortal!"

Harry sighed. _Well, that's just_ _ **begging**_ _for the universe to prove them otherwise, or at least you, Alucard_ , he sent to Alucard and Seras. The former sniggered.

 _Well, let's do the polite thing and let them know that the guest of honour has arrived_ , Alucard sent, before he began ringing the doorbell, repeatedly.

"Dammit. Don't go anywhere, Jessica, I'll go and shut this twat up."

"Yeah, shut him up, Leif(1)."

Seras groaned, from her sniper's position on the roof of a nearby house. _They really don't know who they're dealing with, do they?_ she asked wearily over the telepathic connection.

 _Nope. Get ready, Police Girl, one of them may do a runner, and even pathetic new vampires like these ones can run at speeds faster than most cars._

 _Yeah, you can do it, Seras_ , Harry sent over.

Suddenly, Alucard backed away from the door, before unleashing a fusillade of shots from the Casull through it. He then peered through a hole in the door, looking at the vampire currently sprawled against a wall, bleeding from wounds. He was in his twenties, wearing a beanie, and presumably Leif. "Heeere's Johnny!" Alucard said with a grin, before kicking the door down. _I've always wanted to say that_ , Alucard added mentally.

Leif raised a submachine gun and began firing at Alucard. _Looks like he's more into giving than receiving_ , Harry observed.

 _He's a moron_ , Alucard said. _The moment he runs dry, he's going to know the full extent of his folly, and then, he will die_.

Sure enough, Leif did run out of ammo, and Alucard sighed irritably. "That's it? Seriously? You're like that disgusting piece of bubblegum I once had to get off my boots. And soon, you'll be a sticky pink mess too. You kill women and children when you don't need to feed, you can't transform into mist or bats, you can't even regenerate the wounds I gave you…and are you seriously unable to fight when you've run out of ammo? You wanted the attention of the No-Life King. Well, congratulations, here I am. And I…fucking… _HATE_ …fanboys. Especially those who have got no pride or conviction or even any ability to fight. You disgust me, and for that, and for so many other reasons, you will **_die_**."

Leif decided to try and run, only to be sent sprawling into a wall by another fusillade of shots from the Casull. Alucard then lunged forward and impaled Leif on his hand, dissolving him into a blast of blood. Suddenly, there was a noise, and Seras spotted the other vampire, Jessica, fleeing for her life, running at ridiculous speed. _Master, the other vampire…_

 _I know, I heard her jump out. You know what to do, Police Girl. You don't need a scope or night-vision goggles when you're a vampire. Just take out her heart_.

Seras calmed herself, before she allowed herself to use her 'third eye'. She took the shot, and Jessica's chest exploded in a gory spray. The rogue vampire stumbled, dead long before her body skidded to a halt on the road she had been running along.

 _Excellent, Police Girl_ , Alucard said.

 _Yeah, great shot, Seras_ , Harry said.

 _Thanks_ , Seras sent back. _Bloody hell, though. I mean, it's only just hit me, but this rifle is huge, but I barely felt the recoil. And when I used the 'third eye', it was like the night was clear as day._

 _It's okay, Seras_ , Harry sent back. _Anyway, you're better than these wankers. These idiots are so willing to discard every scrap of their humanity._

 _He who makes a beast of himself gets rid of the pain of being a man_ , Alucard concurred solemnly. _Doctor Samuel Johnson said that once. It is one of the wisest things any man had ever spoken. Police Girl, you have chosen to walk in the darkness than die. You will have to work hard to keep what humanity you have left, and our job means that sooner or later, you may have to make a decision between two bad choices. At least you've made the first steps by drinking blood. But your willingness to hold onto your remaining humanity even as you descend into darkness…ah, it is both irritating and admirable._

 _Seras, don't let Grandpa Alucard get to you_ , Harry said, to the indignant spluttering of the infamous vampire. _Just do the best you can._

 _Thanks, Harry_.

* * *

Integra looked out at the landscape as she was driven back to Hellsing after the Birmingham case was finished. _There shouldn't be this many, and yet, lately, we've been getting more and more vampire attacks, almost all of them weak nobodies_ , she mused. _Someone's running a vampire production line. And given what Schrödinger had said, it seems like Millennium is responsible. They have started their little war of attrition in earnest, I'd wager_ …

Integra sighed in irritation. Millennium, it seemed, were firing the first shots of their war. A war that they were determined to have. And if what Schrödinger said was true, they weren't doing it with any goal in mind, save for one last spectacular battle that they could die in. Even Voldemort had a goal: conquest and power, and while that didn't necessarily make him less evil, at least he had a goal in mind outside of senseless death and destruction. Whereas Millennium were merely a pack of mad dogs, waiting to be put down, intending to leave scars upon the world in order to make their mark on history, no matter what the cost.

Still, there was one good thing to come out of this. Given some persuasion by Integra, Sirius Black had sent copies of his memories to the DMLE of what happened when Pettigrew betrayed the Potters. Amelia Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour could start the process of exonerating Sirius, and the last time Integra heard from them, they were currently selling it to Fudge under the pretext of his being seen as making up for a predecessor's mistakes. Fudge was being resistant, if only because it meant proving Harry and Dumbledore right in even one matter, but he was giving way to the political capital he could make of this.

Integra had to admit, Sirius, once you got past the immature exterior, was an interesting man. So too was Remus Lupin, but the poor man was a bundle of self-esteem issues for multiple reasons, not least of which was his lycanthropy, and Integra was sure that he needed a woman who wasn't quite so…hard. Sirius, however, was like Alucard in many respects: cheerfully iconoclastic, charismatic, and with a devil-may-care attitude towards status. All without Alucard's cheerful amorality (at best: her vampire servant was very much a monster on a leash who tended not to care about collateral damage). He was a breath of fresh air, and the fact that he offered to share many family grimoires because it would piss off his mother's portrait helped.

Still, Sirius would have to pass muster with Alucard, and while the two got along now, Integra wondered how long that'd last if she did grow to love Sirius Black…

 **CHAPTER 13 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Next chapter, the Badrick incident, and the first appearance of Alexander Anderson. Hope you enjoyed this one, with StokerCard owning Umbridge. And while I didn't have Alucard getting as OTT angry as he does in canon with Leif and Jessica, I thought this annoyed and angry disgust is in character for my own take on Alucard.**

 **Review-answering time!** **tamagat** **: Harry wasn't there at the time, and Alucard wants to help train Harry personally, so he'll use the knowledge he got from Walter.**

 **RainaTakara** **: Once more, I must reiterate that I am the author, and it is ultimately me who decides what happens and who appears. Not** ** _you_** **. Bathory won't appear that often in the story anyway, though I'm considering having her be involved during the Valentine assault on Hellsing.**

 **diagonalpumpkin** **: Given that Alucard takes a personal interest in helping Seras (in his own way) in the manga, I thought a paternal Alucard was pretty much in character. The next chapter, involving the first appearance of Anderson, will also show how much Alucard's relationship with Seras is better than in canon. As for Harry's reaction to Bathory, he will be (understandably) wary of her, and their relationship will be distant. Bathory is interested in Harry, but in a detached, rather clinical way.**

 **davidteague3950** **: Scheisse IS German for shit. Bing probably auto-censors expletives. Scheisse is often spelt as 'Scheiße' in German, but I generally spell it without that ß symbol.**

 **Blackholelord** **: Yeah, I know what you're saying. Even when I'm writing a darker Harry (like Henry Ashford from the recently completed** ** _Henry Ashford and the Goblet of Fire_** **), he doesn't become evil per se. Sometimes, he becomes more amoral though.**

 **1\. Leif and Jessica, from what I heard, were the names given to the 'Bonnie and Clyde' pair of vampires who are called Edward and Bella in the first episode of** ** _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_** **.**


	15. Chapter 14: Alexander Anderson

**CHAPTER 14:**

 **ALEXANDER ANDERSON**

Harry's first hunt was on a Saturday night, at Badrick in Northern Ireland. An old hospital had been attacked by a vampire, and the old building was infested with ghouls. With some private tuition, Harry had gotten used to using the wires, but he was going to stick to using his wand, alongside a gun. Namely, a Thompson submachine gun that his grandfather had used during the Second World War, in his 'Girlycard' guise. Alucard and Integra had made sure that he knew how to use it properly, and Harry only fired it in short bursts to maintain accuracy. After all, ghouls only died if you shot them in the head or the heart.

Integra had at least negotiated with the Improper Use of Magic Office to contact Hellsing first to see if Harry had been out on a mission before panicking about him using spells. As Integra was, effectively, Harry's mundane guardian now that the Dursleys were dead, the Office agreed. Fudge only agreed to this reluctantly because the Queen and the Prime Minister had sent some rather stern warnings. Even so, his campaign against Harry and Dumbledore had only been lessened, and Umbridge was still a pain. It was only because Integra and Alucard (Stoker remaining as she was to avoid any connections being made) showed up to bring Harry to Hellsing that he was even allowed to leave the castle.

Harry was a bit disturbed to see Seras fly into a bloodlust-filled rampage, ripping ghouls apart and shooting them with red eyes and a sadistic grin on her face. She then began looking to lick some of the blood off her hands as Harry looked on.

Harry saw something and almost on instinct, sent Seras flying with a Banishing Charm, the silver bayonet missing her barely, as did the hail of others. A storm of enchanted, blessed papers seemed to nail themselves to walls and doorways. Harry was sure that it was some sort of magical barrier.

 _Seras, Harry, behind me_ , Alucard sent as they heard the heavy tread of booted footsteps coming down nearby stairs. _And don't let those bayonets hit you if you can help it. I'm guessing they're blessed silver. Even a dhampir can be harmed by them if they're powerful enough_.

"Well, someone's got good reflexes," a gravelly voice remarked in an Irish accent. The man who came down the stairs was dressed in a long coat over what seemed like a priest's garb. His face was darkly-tanned, with a scar and stubble marring it. He had glasses behind which icy blue eyes glinted. His blonde hair was cut short. He took a pair of silver bayonets from his sleeves, and made a cross with them. "We're Iscariot, the agents of divine punishment on Earth. We are sent to smite God's enemies, to visit His Wrath upon them. Rejoice, for you will be cleansed. _Amen_."

"I don't particularly feel up to a silver cleansing enema, thanks," Harry snarked as he kept Alucard between him and the priest, Seras doing the same thing.

The man chuckled. "First time I've heard that one. Probably be the last. It looks like we've got ourselves a celebrity gathering here. The pet vampire of Hellsing, Alucard, and what looks like none other than the Boy Who Lived himself, Harry Potter. That scar's distinctive, even in the dark. Maybe you've heard of me: Alexander Anderson?"

"Shit," Harry muttered, remembering what little Walter and Alucard had told him. At least before Walter got turned into one of Alucard's familiars. He was rather annoyed to find out Walter was like Pettigrew, as he seemed like such a nice old man. But Alucard and Integra had a rather direct way of dealing with traitors.

Anderson, from what he'd been told, was something of a boogyman, rather like Iscariot's equivalent to Alucard. And he could feel the power and madness radiating from the man, who had a massive, vicious grin on his face. Instantly, Harry pointed his wand at the enchanted paper nailed above the door. " _Incendio!_ " The fireball bounced back, forcing Harry to duck. He tried again. " _Accio!_ " It didn't budge. He even tried a burst from the Tommy Gun, but the paper didn't even shred.

"Iscariot's had dealings with magicals before. We employ them sometimes. Nice try, though," Anderson said cheerfully, though there was an undercurrent of menace.

Anderson approached, and Alucard approached him in turn. Seras and Harry, meanwhile, backed away. Conversationally, Alucard asked, as if asking what tea was available, "What happened to the vampire that was here?"

"I killed him shortly before you got here. Thought it a bit odd the ghouls hung around. He wasn't much of a challenge, though," Anderson said.

"So, Millennium did this lot too," Alucard mused.

"Millennium? Ah, so a third party is involved. Anyway, like I said, that vampire I killed was no challenge at all. The only ones left here…are you two…and the Boy Who Lived. Sorry, kid. As much as I'd hate to help out that bastard Voldemort, I don't leave dhampirs alive. And you register as a dhampir to me."

"You threaten them at your peril, Anderson," Alucard said, his eyes narrowing behind his tinted glasses.

"Well then, let's see whether your words match your actions," Anderson said, before he lunged, plunging a pair of bayonets into Alucard's chest. Alucard choked, but then fired a gunshot into Anderson's head at point-blank range, sending him flying, blood spraying.

"Fuck you, Judas Priest," Alucard said, pulling out the bayonets. "A brave man, but a foolish one."

However, even as he walked towards Harry and Seras, the two junior hunters yelled out, "Look out!"

Alucard whirled just in time to avoid more bayonets from Anderson, who had leapt to his feet. As Harry watched, the bullet hole in Anderson's forehead closed. "He can regenerate?" Harry said in disbelief.

"Secret Vatican biotechnology and 'holy' blessings," Alucard said. "Developed for vampire-hunting, no doubt."

"Aye, that's it," Anderson said with a vicious grin, before he darted forward, and managed to pin Alucard to a wall with bayonets. He turned Alucard into a pincushion, and only the fact that Alucard had survived worse than this prevented Harry from panicking…about Alucard at least. Seras and himself were other matters entirely. Harry was sure neither the Tommy Gun nor the rifle Seras wielded would do well, and if the man had familiarity with spells, he wouldn't be able to use them either.

They began backing away, even as Anderson began merrily sawing off Alucard's head with a bayonet, whistling a macabrely cheerful little tune. When he finished, just as they were about to get up the stairs, Anderson looked at them, and said, "And where do you think you're going, kids?"

"You know you sound like one of those priests you see on _Panorama(_ _1)_ _?_ " Harry snarked back. "You know, the ones who like children a bit too much?"

Anderson scowled, before hurling Alucard's head, impaled on a bayonet, at them, whereupon it stuck in the wall, vibrating. For some reason, it put Harry in mind of an olive impaled on a cocktail stick. "Don't talk to me about _those_ , brat. The last one I caught trying anything with the children at my orphanage, I force-fed him his own liver."

Harry plucked the bayonet from Alucard's head, and handed him to Seras. "Okay, you have _some_ standards if that's the case. Now, in the words of Saint Brian of Nazareth, ' _Now, fuck off!_ '."

As they dashed up the stairs, they heard Anderson chuckle, before saying, "How shall I fuck off, O Lord?"

"Great," Seras muttered as they climbed up the stairs. "We have a homicidal Vatican hitman on our case, and he's watched _Life of Brian_." Telepathically, she asked, _Where are we going, Harry?_

 _Upper floor_ , Harry sent back. _Alucard's not down for the count, he can handle this guy when he chooses to revive, but we can't. Not at our current level. And I've got a hunch that this wanker's barrier doesn't cover the roof. I'll blast a hole in the ceiling with a Blasting Hex, we'll climb out_.

"Where d'you think you're going?" Anderson asked as he followed them unhurriedly. "Just accept death. I've already killed Hellsing's trump card."

"You only cut off his head," Harry retorted. "That's only step one. You didn't do two through to ten(2)."

 _Oh, spoil the surprise, why don't you?_ Alucard said through their link.

 _Alucard, this is serious. You'll be able to kick this guy's arse if you get off your own, but Seras and I aren't at his level yet!_ Harry snarled. _As it is, we're just trying to stay alive long enough to escape. And if you give me or Seras any grief for running, I swear I will head back to your body and kick you in the balls so many times, you'll be feeling it for weeks!_

 _Is that any way to treat your grandfather? Kids these days are so rude to their elders. And your plan is a sound one. Just be careful: Integra's just arrived in the vicinity, and Anderson's riled enough to try to kill her and anyone she has with her. I know his type_.

Harry nodded, before aiming his wand at the ceiling. " _BOMBARDA!_ " The roof exploded, revealing the night sky. Seras, without prompting, leapt out, and then extended a hand to help Harry out.

They ran to the edge of the roof, hearing a frustrated howl from Anderson, and leapt off, Anderson's barrier clearly not extending to the roof or the edge. For a human, such a stunt, jumping down a couple of storeys, was dangerous, but for a dhampir and a fledgling vampire, it was little problem. And they found Integra rushing forward from a helicopter, accompanied by two bodyguards. "Are you two all right?"

"Yeah, but Alucard's playing possum after Anderson cut off his head. He didn't care about killing either of us, even though he knew I was Harry Potter."

 _Speaking of which, Police Girl, Harry, I need you to drink my blood. Anderson's about to come your way, and you need all the power you can get. I am not going to see my Master, my most promising fledgling, and my grandson die because of this Judas Priest, and it'll take me a while to kickstart my regeneration with all this silver in me. Do this, and you'll have enough power to hold him back. You'll be a true Nosferatu, Seras, and Harry…this will help make you a more powerful dhampir. More powerful, in fact, than any who could have existed_.

 _He's using your name, it must be serious_ , Harry said to Seras.

Alucard's head suddenly melted into a mass of blood in Seras' cupped hands. Reluctantly, Seras drank. So too did Harry, lapping some of the blood from Seras' cupped hands after she had finished. He didn't like doing this, not because he hated drinking blood, but because they were doing so out of desperation.

The flood of dark power through the two's veins was nearly overwhelming. Harry nearly drowned in that surge of dark, dark power, and it was only Integra's shout that brought him back to reality. He opened his eyes just in time to see Anderson in mid-leap, bayonets ready to slice them into ribbons.

At the same time as Harry unleashed a Banishing Charm, Seras, faster than anything remotely human, fired off a shot from her rifle. The end result was that Anderson was sent flying through the air with a big hole in his guts, hurtling through the air somewhat comically. Harry hoped that he would crash into the wall of the hospital, but Anderson actually landed very gracefully. Harry had to admit to being impressed. And he was further impressed by the short but intense burst of creative expletives that spouted from Anderson's mouth as his wound healed, a mixture of English, Irish Gaelic, and Latin. Anderson looked torn between being furious and being impressed.

And then, things went from bad to worse. For the Iscariot operative, anyway. A swarm of bats burst out of the hospital, and flew around the Iscariot paladin, before reforming into the viciously-grinning Alucard, who said to Anderson, "As the Americans would say, ' _you done goofed_ '."

"How the bloody Hell did you survive that?" Anderson demanded.

" _Fuck you_ , that's how," Alucard said.

"Paladin Anderson," Integra called out. "This is a violation of the treaty. Withdraw at once. Or would you like to see just how much we have enhanced Alucard over the years?"

"Withdraw? Don't provoke me, _Babylon_ ," Anderson said with a scowl. "I'll withdraw, but only because I know I can't beat your pet vampire now." He pulled out a tome, possibly even a Bible, and a flurry of pages of scripture surrounded him. "The next time I see you, though, it'll mean your end, for all of you." And with that, he disappeared in a blizzard of pages.

"You know, just for that Babylon remark, I'm going to neuter him and force-feed him his own penis, see if he can regenerate from that," Alucard said.

"Did he call Integra the Whore of Babylon or something?" Harry asked.

"Indeed. Which is not only offensive, but wildly inaccurate. Integra's a virgin, though given the way she and Sirius have been acting, it might not be for long," Alucard said with a smirk.

"Alucard…" Integra said with a warning glare. But she was grateful for Alucard's anger on her behalf all the same.

Alucard, meanwhile, had gone over to Seras, and put a gentle hand on her shoulder, giving her a warm, paternal smile. And Harry realised that the young woman's eyes had now gone completely red…and had stayed that way. "You are now a true vampire, Seras Victoria. You have made me proud. How does it feel?"

"…Like I'm not afraid of anything anymore," Seras said with a slight smile.

"True enough. I gave you both a gift, a thousand each of the souls under my command," Alucard said. "I don't know how it'd react to Harry, but if I am right, it will make sure he is hardy enough to deal with any more attacks by Death Eaters, as well as anything working for Hellsing will throw at him. Dhampirs may not have as many of the weaknesses as vampires, but they aren't always as durable. More than humans, yes, but less than many vampires. But with my blood running through your veins, Harry, your powers have increased significantly. And Seras…you need not fear the light anymore, any more than you should fear the dark. Your powers are beyond human, but you don't need to let your heart be that way. I think it's long past time a vampire like you came along. I am proud of you both. It's good to know that my legacy will not all be dark."

Harry had to admit, as vicious and brutal Alucard was, that sort of praise coming from him…was heartening. And he also noticed that Alucard was saying Seras' name properly now, instead of using 'Police Girl', save for urgency and getting attention. And he could see the pride coming from Seras in gaining her sire's approval. If there was one good thing coming out of this night, it was that…

 **CHAPTER 14 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **This will be the last chapter for a while. Yes, I said that for Chapter 7. However, my muse, as Sander Cohen put it, is a fickle bitch with a short attention span. Be thankful you got so many in a short period. And frankly, it's a good place to end, with the first encounter with Anderson. The next couple of chapters will be mostly Hogwarts-based, before we have this story's version of the Valentines storming the Hellsing Organisation.**

 **Now, why did I have Seras drinking Alucard's blood this soon? Well, she's already gotten used to the idea of drinking blood in the first place, as long as it's willingly given (donated blood). Harry has helped guide her, as well as helping her realise that she doesn't need to sacrifice her humanity.**

 **Also, why did I not have Harry actually fight Anderson? He did, after all, fight him in** ** _It's in the Blood_** **. I thought that Harry isn't experienced enough in fighting someone of Anderson's level yet, and he'd also be worried about Seras getting hurt. He also knew that Alucard was playing possum.**

 **BTW, I hoped you enjoyed some of the** ** _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_** **references here. I based Anderson on a hybrid of his Abridged self (the Irish accent, as opposed to the Scottish one, and the sense of humour) and his canon self. I find it funny that a Catholic priest slash vampire hunter would have watched and enjoyed** ** _Life of Brian_** **(especially as that movie was banned in Ireland for a time, though I dunno whether it was banned in Italy), so that's why I had Anderson referencing the film. It adds an extra dimension of humanity to an already interesting character.**

 **Before I get onto answering the reviews, this story has reached over 1000 alerts, and is on the verge of hitting 80K views! It looks like this story could easily become my most popular ever. There may be more** ** _Hellsing_** **crossovers on the way in July, too.**

 **Review-answering time!** **tamagat** **: Whatever Alucard and Integra have in the manga is complicated, but I think Alucard would be (reluctantly) won over by the argument that the Hellsing line needs to continue in one way or another.**

 **RainaTakara** **: If readers get annoyed at how I am taking the story, I have a right to get annoyed, as it is ultimately I who decides what direction it is taken (and it is thanks to them that a couple of my stories got abandoned). It is ultimately up to me whether Bathory makes a comeback or not, not you. I will get as bitchy as I want (and I think I am actually being restrained here) when people tell me what** ** _I_** ** _SHOULD_** ** _DO_** **. At least you're better than these guest reviewers who put in negative reviews. At least you have the wherewithal to login and make yourself known. Hopefully, you'll still enjoy the story, Bathory or not. She won't get overused. In any case, Bathory is more of a plot device than a character.**

 **Danny79** **: It won't be an accident. ;)**

 **skfff** **: That was rather mean towards sakurademonalchemist, you know.**

 **OldMasterMage** **: Before long, there may be more.**

 **1\. For those outside the UK,** ** _Panorama_** **is a current-affairs program. I dunno whether there were any major paedophile priest scandals reported on** ** _Panorama_** **during the 90s, but it's not unreasonable to think there may have been.**

 **2\. While I did many** ** _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_** **lines, this line was spoken by Integra in the first episode. Harry Potter, of course, wasn't in it, though Monkey D Luffy, Edward and Bella, and (according to the credits) the Goddamn Batman were…**


	16. Chapter 15: Coup de Theatre

**CHAPTER 15:**

 **COUP DE THEATRE(** **1)**

Dolores Umbridge was grinning to herself in malice. Until now, she hadn't been able to do what she wanted: that abominable Hellsing whore Stoker had been hired, preventing her from assuming the position of DADA teacher, and while she managed to become High Inquisitor, she still needed a stronger foothold in Hogwarts. She needed to make Potter vulnerable, and kick that old wether(2) Dumbledore out.

Until now, she didn't really have anything to make their lives miserable. But she knew how to ferret things out, and it was on a hunch that she brought a certain instrument to Hogwarts after Potter left the school to hunt for Hellsing. She had learned to listen to those hunches, as they had gotten her where she was today. And that hunch had paid off. She had gotten more information than she had hoped. The instrument had been meant to target Stoker, an apparent ally of Potter's, but she also had a gut feeling about Potter that had paid off immensely.

She sat at the staff table smugly as dinner came along. She had contacts in _The Daily Prophet_ , and a special evening edition would be printed after she had passed along certain information. An edition that would blow Harry Potter and Dumbledore right out of the water, along with that Hellsing whore who was filling these children with silly ideas, dangerous ideas, ideas that she couldn't countenance. And while it was difficult to kill an idea, one could poison them instead, make them repulsive to all.

Soon, Harry Potter would be without allies. Already, Magical Britain had all but turned on him. Oh, there were plenty of holdouts, but what she had sent to _The Daily Prophet_ would cause those to reject him. He would have nowhere to turn to, and that odious little boy who defied the Ministry and the reality of magical blood purity would be left in the cold. What happened to him then, well, she hoped he died a horrible death, perhaps at the hands of some former Death Eaters who wanted revenge. Or perhaps she could get him locked up in Azkaban! Yes, that would be most fitting for scum like him. Maybe she could manage it for Stoker too. That smug Hellsing mudblood whore had it coming, humiliating her and defying her. Umbridge was the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister, and the High Inquisitor. Her word was like that of God. And soon, they would learn the price of their folly.

Owls came in, bearing the evening edition of _The Daily Prophet_. And soon, Umbridge smirked as the waves of consternation began sweeping the Great Hall. Her eyes met those of Harry's when he glared at her, and she merely grinned back. _This is the price of defiance, you little bastard_ , she thought…

* * *

Integra, Alucard, Remus, Seras and Sirius looked at the map showing the layout of the Hellsing mansion. Schrödinger's intel on how the Valentine brothers would have stormed the mansion was useful. "Even so, we should be careful, lest Millennium alter their plans," Integra said. "The only one of the Round Table I have notified about this is Sir Irons. He is the only one I trust. I have impressed on him the need for secrecy and discretion in this matter."

"I thought you said you weren't on the best of terms with him, never mind anyone on the Round Table," Sirius said.

"True, but Irons, while his dislike for me was never hidden, has also tried to teach me things in spite of that. The truth is, we have to gather the Round Table before long to tell them about Millennium and the Major's resurgence. Irons is already aware, and he has helped with some information, as he was working with my father during Alucard and Walter's mission during the Second World War. Indeed, he also had his suspicions about Walter's loyalties, but never voiced them, as they were little more than suspicions, and he knew how much respect I had for him."

"Still, this is a somewhat concerning development, what Schrödinger has told us," Alucard said. "Millennium training ghouls to act as shock troops, using assault rifles and ballistic shields. Luke Valentine was to track me down and try to kill me, while Jan Valentine was to lead the ghouls and attack the Round Table. They would have destroyed our communications and our escape route. Walter leaked a lot to them. It may have ended with the destruction of almost all personnel here, save for myself and Seras. And maybe yourself, Master, and Walter. As you said, though, that warmongering Major may have altered his plans. I think, Seras, that you and I had better upgrade our arsenal. I have the knowledge from Walter to create new weapons for both of us. We'll have to up the training for Harry as well. It might be that the Major might be able to persuade Voldemort to send a couple of Death Eaters here to bolster the Valentines' own assault. Have we found any photos of the Valentines?"

Integra nodded, fishing out a file, and opening it to reveal photos of two men, one dark-skinned, lanky and slouched with piercings, the other tall, elegant, with immaculate blonde hair and green eyes, and wearing glasses. "While not blood brothers, they were adopted by the same family when they were young, and they have been together ever since. They're noted hitmen and mercenaries. Jan is noted to be morbidly obsessed with the macabre, and the sole psychotherapist he has seen noted an obsession with violent and morbid paraphilias, including necrophilia. Luke is relatively normal, but he is known for skill with a knife and a gun, and is considered a cold-blooded sociopath. Both were aware, to a degree, of the wizarding world and of Hellsing, as they were on the radars of the magical authorities in America."

"Charming," Remus remarked. "Sounds like the sort of people an organisation like Millennium would use for their dirty work."

"If Millennium does manage to persuade Voldemort to part with Death Eaters for their attack," Seras mused, "who would they send?"

"If there's one person Voldemort probably would send, it'd be Bellatrix Lestrange," Sirius said. "You ever heard that thing about Lord Byron, 'mad, bad, and dangerous to know'? That sums her up in a nutshell. Even before she joined Voldemort, there was something a bit off about her. Of course, she wasn't mad then. But she's a sadomasochist of the highest order, and she got to indulge it with her husband. I heard she even slept with Voldemort a few times. That shows how crazy she is, and how loyal she is. Azkaban only made her even more crazy. But don't be fooled, she's a brilliant duellist, and she's lucid enough in battle. She's also excellent at psychological warfare, taunting her opponents."

"A shame," Alucard mused. "If it weren't for the fact that she's on the enemy's side, I would have loved to have turned her. Sounds like she was my kind of woman."

"She probably would be," Sirius said, looking askance at Alucard.

"I'm currently upgrading the armaments of the Hellsing guards," Alucard said, continuing. "Walter was our main quartermaster, after all, and thanks to his knowledge, I am having special anti-Midian and anti-ghoul rounds developed for use in conventional weapons."

"Glad to see the Galleons I donated going to some use," Sirius said. "What about you and Seras?"

"In light of Anderson's abilities, I'm creating a new handgun based on an idea Walter had not long before I ate him. It's called the Jackal. Only a vampire could wield it, given the forces involved. He also had a new type of rifle, practically artillery, in mind for Seras. Because it's a somewhat big gun, he decided to call it the Harkonnen, after the rather corpulent villain from the novel _Dune_. Even before you drank the blood I offered you, Seras, you would have been more than capable of wielding it, though no human could. It can fire depleted uranium or incendiary shells. I'm also working on modifications for my old Tommy Gun for Harry to use, and I will be upping his training in the wire-gloves. Given that Harry and Seras nearly died at Anderson's hands, I refuse to see them die. Speaking of which, Master, do we have any intelligence on other Iscariot operatives who might accompany Anderson?"

Integra nodded. "Yes, two of them, known within Iscariot circles as the 'Crossfire Duo(3)'. We have more intel on them than we did on Anderson. Although these two only work together normally, they have been said to have worked with Anderson on some missions. Heinkel Wolfe, German, a noted and ruthless sharpshooter. You wouldn't know it from the pictures, though, but she is a woman. She is an excellent and pragmatic analyst as well. And then, there is Yumie Takagi. Normally, she is a rather demure, shy, pacifist nun known as Yumiko Takagi. But she has Yumie as another personality, a vicious, bloodthirsty swordswoman with supernatural skill with a katana. She's an expert at _iaijutsu_ , quick-draw attacks, but she's equally adept at unarmed combat. Most of the time, though, they're sent to hunt down people who attack Catholic interests around the world. They wiped out an Islamic terrorist group who held a Catholic mission hostage about a year ago, and when a Neo-Communist criminal gang robbed a Berlin church of charity money and killed those inside, they took a bloody revenge. There was also a Neo-Pagan cult in London they attacked after said cult raided the Vatican. While not quite on Anderson's level, they are not to be underestimated."

"Bloody hell," Seras murmured. "I'm surprised Iscariot doesn't send people over to deal with Voldemort."

"One of Voldemort's claims to fame is killing off a number of Iscariot's assassins while he was on the continent. While Badrick was technically in our territory, being in Protestant Northern Island, Iscariot doesn't see it that way. That's why Anderson ventured to Badrick, despite the treaties involved. But Iscariot has no jurisdiction in Britain normally. It wouldn't stop them from sending operatives in, true, but since the Royal Order of Protestant Knights was founded, Britain is out of bounds to Iscariot operations," Integra said. "Even inviting them onto British soil for a joint operation against Voldemort would cause problems."

"Speaking of problems," Remus said, "what's the Umbitch been doing lately?"

"Making plans. She's a vicious little toad. Already, she's trying to evict Trelawney, but while Trelawney's mostly a perpetually-intoxicated charlatan, she's at least entertaining. Umbridge is targeting Dumbledore loyalists especially, especially the more vulnerable ones, like Hagrid. That being said, I've managed to reach most of the Slytherins, the ones whose families aren't Death Eaters or hardcore blood purists. Malfoy and his arsekissers are working with the Batrachian Bitch, though, as they'd love to see Harry expelled and vulnerable, not to mention Dumbledore toppled from his pedestal," Alucard said. "But I've found out that she has brought a Blood Quill into Hogwarts. If I find out she has been using it…well…it won't be pretty. I will make her long for death. I will baste her with fear, and stuff her full of dread."

"Like a roast chicken?" Seras asked.

"No, like a turkey. A deliciously roasted Fear Turkey. Right before I fuck the Fear Turkey…wait, that came out wrong. I think Luna Lovegood's blood is repeating on me. Seer's blood sometimes does that, even if it's been weeks after I drank it. I meant _fuck up_ the Fear Turkey."

"Alucard, we do not want a repeat of last Christmas," Integra said. Seeing the others' expressions, she said, "Alucard got it into his head last year to cook Christmas dinner. He locked Walter in Alucard's old cell, and started cooking. About the only thing edible were the black puddings and the Brussels sprouts."

"The Grinch only stole Christmas," Alucard said with a grin. "I impaled it. Albeit without destroying it utterly, anyway."

And then, Dobby popped in. Not long ago, given how Walter had turned out to be a traitor to Hellsing, Harry had the idea of bringing in Dobby to act as a servant. Integra and Alucard found themselves amused by the fact that Dobby wanted pay for his work, and so eventually accepted him, once Dumbledore had released him from his contract at Hogwarts. Dobby was doing this mostly for Harry: he was frankly terrified of Alucard, though he liked Integra, and got along well with Seras.

"Miss Integral, sir, ma'am, theys found out!" Dobby said, waving a copy of _The Daily Prophet_.

Integra decided to leave her correction of Dobby pronouncing her name until later as she snatched the copy of the newspaper from him, Alucard reading over her shoulder. Then, she uttered a quiet and rare expletive. "Fucking hell."

The others scrambled around to look at the paper, only to stare at what it had as a lurid headline, one that could cause massive damage to them all:

 **HARRY POTTER: SON OF DRACULA!**

 **CHAPTER 15 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **And there you have it: Umbridge has exposed Harry. Yes, the headline is inaccurate, but** ** _The Daily Prophet_** **isn't known for its accuracy, and Umbridge only guessed as to their relation. Umbridge used a vampire-detection device not dissimilar to Moody's to figure out what Stoker and Harry are. She's probably guessed that Stoker is Alucard's fledgling. We'll look at that more in the next chapter. And Umbridge will get her comeuppance, though a bit late.**

 **I decided, while discussing Yumie and Heinkel, to make them a fusion between their canon selves and their** ** _Crossfire_** **incarnations. It's still plausible that they are like their** ** _Crossfire_** **versions in canon, hence why I had Integra discussing the missions they had in** ** _Crossfire_** **.**

 **Yes, I said I wouldn't be updating for a while, but my muse wouldn't stop bugging me. Up to Chapter 21 is now written, and up to Chapter 20 will be posted over the next little while, with Chapter 21 being held over for the next big update (unless Chapter 22 gets written). I'm posting these chapters partly because I know you guys can't wait for another one, and partly because this work looks set to become my most popular Harry Potter crossover (and in time, it may even surpass my most popular fanfic,** ** _In Spite of Obstinate Men_** **). It's at 90K views, and over a thousand alerts. I can see this surpassing** ** _Harry Potter and the Cetra Heritage_** **by the time these chapters have been posted.**

 **BTW, I should have done this earlier, but this chapter is dedicated to the victims of the recent massacre in Orlando, Florida. It's truly horrific what happened, and it should not have happened. Sadly, there are people in the world who don't care about others' lives and wellbeings.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Alex2909** **: Alucard's being nicer because Harry has engaged his more paternal side a bit more than Seras did, and because Harry has become almost like a big brother to Seras (despite the fact that she's four years his senior) and helped her take her first true steps as a vampire (like persuading her to drink donated blood), he's less demeaning towards her than in canon. Indeed, he is proud of Seras, especially now that she's drunk enough blood to become a full-on vampire.**

 **Reishin Amara** **: Release State Zero Alucard hasn't appeared in this fic yet, and he needs to have permission from Integra in order to do so, I'm guessing. Release State Zero Alucard will appear when Millennium invades, though.**

 **Xymorm** **: I didn't know how to reference that, but managed to above. I hope you like it.**

 **tamagat** **: *sigh* As I said before, Harry and Seras are more like siblings.**

 **Captain James H00k** **: Umbridge will be dealt with in the next chapter. The invasion of Millennium will still happen during this school year. The DAs may not appear, but as for Harry being able to make Death Eaters into familiars…well, wait and see. ;)**

 **1\. A** ** _coup de theatre_** **(I spelt it without the diacritic marks) can mean a sudden or unexplained event in a play, or else a theatrical trick or gesture, staged for dramatic effect. It was both I had in mind to describe Umbridge's attack.**

 **2\. In writing** ** _Fall to Zenith_** **, I discovered the word 'wether', which means a castrated goat. I thought it appropriate to use it either against a bashable Dumbledore, or else by opponents of a flawed but decent Dumbledore.**

 **3\. I thought, why not call Heinkel and Yumie the 'Crossfire Duo' after the manga they appeared in prior to** ** _Hellsing?_** **So, that's become their in-universe nickname for this story.**


	17. Chapter 16: Clash in Hogwarts

**CHAPTER 16:**

 **CLASH IN HOGWARTS**

Stoker looked at the newspaper with ever-increasing anger. She was reading it, even as her main body as Alucard had read it over Integra's shoulder and instantly made preparations to head to Hogwarts. The sheer fury within her was threatening to burst the dams.

 **HARRY POTTER: SON OF DRACULA!**

 _A truly disturbing development has come out of Hogwarts, one that even we at the_ Prophet _would never have guessed. However, it throws into sharp relief many problems involved with Dumbledore being Headmaster of Hogwarts, and the lies spouted by him and his puppet, the Boy Who Lived. A reliable source within Hogwarts has uncovered perhaps the darkest secret of all of Harry Potter. Darker, even, than the revelation that Potter was a Parselmouth, relayed by our star reporter, Rita Skeeter, who is on prolonged leave for health reasons._

 _This shocking secret is that Harry Potter is a dhampir, half-vampire._

 _Potter has recently come under the dubious protection of the Royal Order of Protestant Knights, better known as the Hellsing Organisation. This dark and dubious Muggle organisation was founded by infamous Squib Professor Abraham van Helsing in 1896, with the famous novel by Bram Stoker being published the following year. It is under the command of the Royal Family, and its mission is to hunt down the darkest of creatures. A laudable mission, one would think, but they are infamous for employing characters of a dubious nature._

 _One of them was Walter C Dornez, a young orphan noted for being a bloodthirsty murderer even before he was conscripted into Hellsing. He was given an option of either being executed, or becoming their executioner. Dornez chose the latter, and became feared in Europe during the Second World War as the Angel of Death. Even now, he still works at Hellsing, as the personal butler to Integra Hellsing, and it says a lot about the character of the woman in charge of such an organisation that she assents to having such a monster as her servant._

 _As brutal as Dornez's nature is, he pales into significance compared to the infamous Alucard, thought in most circles in the know to be none other than the infamous Count Dracula, born Vladislaus Dragulea of Wallachia, better known in human life as Vlad the Impaler. It is thought that, by dark rituals, Abraham van Helsing did not send Dracula to his richly-deserved death, but rather, bound this vile creature to his will. Why he would do so is highly suspect, but what is known is that Alucard is a vampire of extraordinary skill and power. Hellsing uses him to kill vampires, werewolves, and other Dark creatures, but who is to say that they haven't been used on innocent wizards and witches? Certainly it is a fact that Alucard assaulted Senior Undersecretary Dolores Umbridge, destroying her wand and leaving her badly injured, and intimidated Ministry employees. And in defiance of our precepts, Integra Hellsing and Alucard had the temerity to stand in Potter's defence during a hearing to determine whether Potter should stay in Hogwarts, threatening to call upon the Queen's intervention, making a mockery of centuries of tradition and endangering our way of life._

 _A source within Hogwarts, however, has discerned the very reason for this unprecedented protection: Harry Potter is a dhampir, and what is more, he is the product of a liaison between Alucard and an unfaithful Lily Potter. It seems that not only is his veracity in severe doubt, but so too is his lineage, being the progeny of a creature even darker than You Know Who, and thus potentially as dark as his vampire father._

 _Not only that, but after the debacle of hiring known werewolf Remus Lupin as a Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, it seems that Dumbledore has NOT learned his lesson, for he has hired, without notifying the Ministry, a vampire known as Lucy Stoker. Our source within Hogwarts has discovered these shocking facts using an instrument specifically designed to detect vampires and those with their blood. Potter was discovered to be half-vampire, and Stoker a full vampire…_

There was more, but the doors to the Great Hall slammed open just as Stoker got to that part of the article. The familiar and unwelcome form of Cornelius Fudge strode in, accompanied by a dozen Aurors, a couple of which Stoker recognised as Dumbledore's moles within the DMLE, Tonks and Shacklebolt. There was one other rather unpleasant-looking man not in Auror robes, though. In fact, he looked Hispanic, with an immaculate white suit and wide-brimmed hat, tanned skin and a thin moustache.

 _Stoker, Schrödinger is freaking out. He's just told me that's Tubalcain Alhambra, and he can feel something suppressing his power_ , Harry sent Stoker.

Stoker nodded. Seras and Integra had geared up, and were, along with Stoker's main body, coming to Hogwarts via Portkey as they spoke.

"Minister, to what do I owe this pleasure?" Dumbledore asked.

"It's not pleasure, just business," Fudge said, though there was something in his eyes that stated otherwise. "In accordance with the latest Educational Decree, nobody of vampire heritage or status can give or receive an education at Hogwarts. To that effect, I am taking Harry Potter and 'Professor' Lucy Stoker, who have been detected by instruments used by Madam Umbridge as being of vampiric heritage, into the custody of the Ministry. In addition, I have been approached by a concerned party who believes that there is a dangerous creature amongst you, going by the name of Schrödinger. He is to be taken into the custody of Hit-Wizard Tubalcain Alhambra of the Brazilian DMLE."

"If he is with the Brazilian DMLE, then I'm Jonathan Harker!" Stoker laughed sneeringly, notifying Seras, and thus Integra, over the mental link.

"Show some respect to the Minister of Magic!" Dolores Umbridge snarled.

"I don't show respect to _dogs_ who have done absolutely nothing to warrant any respect," Stoker retorted. "You want to bring me and mine into your custody, Cornelius Fudge? You must have fudge for brains if you think you can try!"

Before any kind of retort could be made, walking through the doors were Integra, a sheathed sabre at her side, and Seras, a rifle over her shoulder. Alucard walked in after them, provoking murmurs through the Great Hall. "Good evening, Minister Fudge," Integra said. "I do believe I'm about to stop you from committing a truly imbecilic act."

"Hellsing has no jurisdiction here!" Fudge snapped.

"On the contrary, Fudge, if you're about to try and imprison two of our charges on spurious grounds, then we do. We come under the direct authority of Queen Elizabeth the Second herself, as do you, Minister. And Alhambra is a person of interest, being an accused member of a terrorist group with a grudge against the Hellsing Organisation. I could care less about your petty quarrel with Dumbledore, but both Harry Potter and Lucy Stoker are under our protection, and if you deny the validity of that protection, then you will suffer the consequences."

Suddenly, Alucard appeared in front of Integra in time to intercept a spell shot at her. His eyes, and those of Stoker, narrowed in on Umbridge, who had her wand out under the table. "Minister, your Senior Undersecretary has shot a spell at my master," Alucard said quietly. "She has ten seconds to own up, or the next thing out of my mouth will be my Cromwell Invocation."

"I don't have to answer false accusations made by a filthy vampire or his whore mistress!" Umbridge sneered. "You will OBEY the Minister, or YOU WILL DIE!"

Alucard said, in a very quiet voice, "If I were you, Umbridge, I would start running. The same goes for you, Alhambra. Releasing Control Art Restriction Systems 3…2…1. Approval of Situation B recognised; commencing the Cromwell Invocation. Ability restrictions lifted for limited use until the enemies have been rendered **_silent_**."

* * *

Schrödinger stared as Alucard, while making his pronouncement, made a series of gestures, eventually forming his thumb and index finger of each hand into a rectangle through which his eye, now glowing with an eldritch light, peered. In the shadows that were growing in his cloak, eyes began opening and staring at Alhambra and Umbridge. Schrödinger was one of the few who noticed that Stoker had seemingly dissolved into living, writhing shadow, along with Alucard. So this was what witnessing the Release State was like.

With a shriek of fright, Umbridge dashed for the doors, realising finally she had bitten off more than chew, but a bizarre hound, seemingly made of shadow and dozens of crimson eyes dashed off after her with an eerie roar. Screams echoed around the Great Hall as the students dashed for the exits. Alhambra, meanwhile, spotted Harry and Schrödinger, along with Hermione. With a snarl, he hurled a playing card at them, the Ace of Spades. Schrödinger knew that these cards were sharpened, and could inhibit vampiric and magical healing. He had aimed it at Harry.

"Harry!" Hermione yelled, shoving the dhampir out of the way…only for the card to nick her neck. Not enough to decapitate her, but a spray of blood filled the air from her now-severed carotid. Blood wasn't all that filled the air, though, but a scream of pain, anguish, and absolute fury from the mouth of Harry Potter…

* * *

Umbridge was running for her life, only to find herself borne to the ground and pressed beneath a massive hellhound, glaring down at her with dozens of eyes. Part of the shadow of the hellhound shifted into what looked like Stoker, only in a figure-hugging leather straitjacket, a massive red eye glaring from her shadow-wreathed chest, tendrils of darkness wafting around. Her eyes were now red. A deranged, malicious grin was splitting the vampire woman's face. "What's wrong, Senior Undersecretary? You were talking all that good shit not so long ago! You seriously thought you had power over one such as I?!" Stoker laughed, before her features rippled and changed into those of Alucard. "You insulted my progeny and my Master, and for all of Dumbledore's faults, he is worth a thousandfold of you at the BARE MINIMUM! Oh, I am a monster, Umbridge, and I am unashamed of that, but I take great offence when you insult those who aren't! You're a petty little Chihuahua thinking herself a wolf!"

"You can't do this!" Umbridge yelled, more in fear than anger. "I am the Senior Undersecretary of the Minister, and I will not be treated like this, especially not by the attack dog of Hellsing!"

"Is that right? I killed many people like you, Umbridge, for far lesser insults to me and my master. And if I'm a dog, what does that make you?" His eyes narrowed. " _Dog food._ Remember _,_ _ **bitch**_ _, I_ _ **eat**_ _people._ "

As the hellhound tore into her legs as a prelude to the rest of her, Alucard snarled, "This is _Iron Chef!_ I'm Takeshi Kaga, and tonight, our theme ingredient is _THIS BATRACHIAN BITCH! ALLEZ CUISINE(_ _1)_ _!_ "

* * *

 _HARRY! CALM DOWN!_ Alucard's voice roared in Harry's head. The sheer willpower behind those words were all that prevented Harry from going into a berserk rage.

"He killed her!" Harry yelled.

 _She's dying, but not dead yet!_ Alucard responded. _If magic won't work, then turn her into a dhampir, it might save her! I'm taking this bastard outside! Remember what I told you, Harry! Don't turn her into a familiar. Turn her into your fledgling! Give her some of your blood as you drink her own, just as I would to turn someone into a fledgling! It may not work, but the initial turning has more regenerative ability than vampiric healing! If it doesn't work…then you at least failed trying to do the right thing._

Harry closed his eyes, crying as Hermione, twitching, bled out on the floor next to him, Ron screaming in grief, while Schrödinger stared in horror. He felt his fangs distend. Quietly, he said, "Hermione…I'm sorry." Then, he bit down hard onto her bloody neck…

* * *

Alucard snatched Alhambra by the neck, hurling him through the doors, sending him out into the grounds of Hogwarts, and following, paying little heed to the cards the Dandy Man threw at him, snatching them out of the air when they threatened to hit Hogwarts. "So, that stupid little _vadia_ saved the Boy Who Lived's life?" Alhambra sneered. "It seems that Schrödinger truly has betrayed us if you know who we are."

"People like you _deserve_ to be betrayed," Alucard retorted in a low growl. "I know you have a monitoring chip inside you, Alhambra. And I know you're listening to me, Major. I would have enjoyed this immensely…until you targeted my progeny and his friends. This has gone beyond war, something to be savoured with abandon. You dragged Harry into this war, a war he should have had nothing to do with. At least with Voldemort, that fool has a grudge, that fool would have pursued Harry to the ends of the Earth. But you…when we meet next, I'm going to take you apart, Major, piece by piece, and expose you as not only a monster rather than a man, but a poor imitation monster compared to me! The concept of you having any mercy is laughable, but if you have any, you had better use the self-destruct mechanism in Alhambra's chip right now, and spare him the agony of _being taken apart slowly by_ _ **me!**_ "

"Are you quite done, _cuzão?_ " Alhambra said.

"Oh no, I'm just getting **_STARTED!_** " Alucard roared, before dashing forward.

Alhambra brought out an entire deck's worth of magic cards, and sent them flying in a manner that would have turned anyone else into mince. Alucard, however, merely dissolved into shadow, mist surrounding Alhambra. The master vampire's voice came out of the mist from all directions mockingly. "What's the matter, Alhambra? If you're any representation of the best of Millennium, then they are doomed from the beginning!"

"Says the so-called master vampire who is hiding in the mist like a cowardly _puta!_ DON'T FUCK WITH ME! SHOW YOURSELF!"

Alucard did appear, right in front of Alhambra, who hurled his cards. Alucard caught them. "Are these really your trump cards? Time to play my Alu-Card!" He flung them back at Alhambra, slicing the assassin's left hand off. "A rather poor hand, Alhambra. I hope you have a better one. At the moment, if this was poker, you're a poor player, bluffing with a poor hand!"

"I'm not playing poker!" Alhambra roared, readying another pack of cards, and nearly fumbling them given his missing hand.

"Then what? 52 Pick-Up?"

"Close. _52 CUT-UP!_ " Once more, he flung an entire deck at Alucard, only for Alucard to catch them all, his hands blurring briefly.

"More dakka doesn't stop me. What makes you think more deck-a will do better?" Alucard said. "I wonder, can you fight without those cards?" His hands flung the cards, and soon, Alhambra was a limbless body on the ground, covered in cuts and whimpering in pain. "Now, Alhambra…what is it that you used to suppress Schrödinger's powers? I have all night…but you don't."

" _Va para o inferno!_ " Alhambra snarled, even as he grimaced in pain.

"You are in Hell now, Alhambra, and I am the Devil. It is in my name, after all. Nowadays, 'drac' in Romanian means 'devil'. Fine then. I will consume all of your blood to find out…and I won't make it quick." He hauled up the limbless body of Alhambra by the torso, before biting down hard on the Millennium agent's neck, blood bursting everywhere. Within seconds, the man burst into azure flames, but Alucard already had what we wanted. He fished around in the burning man's clothes, and fished out a necklace with a gem. He could feel the enchantments on it. He saw Alhambra's eyes still staring at him, even as most of his body was consumed by flames. "You want war, Major," Alucard said quietly. "I will ensure that you regret that desire."

* * *

Hermione's eyes flickered opened, meeting Harry's own, red instead of his usual emerald. "Hermione?"

Hermione winced. Her neck was filled with pain, and she felt weak, but…a straw was pressed to her lips. She automatically suckled onto it, only to freeze briefly when she tasted what she was drinking. It was the distinctive metallic taste of blood…and yet, it tasted so much sweeter than it ever had been. She guzzled the blood down as if she was in the desert and had only now just found an oasis at the brink of death.

She heard Ron say, faintly, "Bloody hell…Harry, what did you do to her?"

"Made her into a dhampir like me, I hope," Harry said quietly. "I needed to save her, Ron."

"I know, Harry, I just…you're lucky Schrödinger held me back. I thought you were killing her!"

"Good thing I _was_ here then," Schrödinger said quietly. "Fraulein, are you all right?"

Hermione nodded, wincing, and getting to her feet. The wound caused by the card had closed shortly before she revived. "Where's that Alhambra man?"

"He's dead," Alucard said, walking towards them, having finished using his Release State (and thus back to normal) and re-entered the Great Hall. "The same goes for the Umbridge woman." He then glared at Fudge, who was staring at him in horror. "You're going to need a new Senior Undersecretary, and one who doesn't hunger for power by proxy through your office. She disagreed with something that ate her(2). Baskerville's currently licking himself to get rid of the taste."

"Monster…" Fudge hissed in horror.

"Of course I am, but you made the mistake of targeting my grandchild, Fudge," Alucard said, looming over him. "A boy who you and your society once held up as a messianic figure, all for something his mother did. How fickle your adulation of him is. I could eat you right here, right now, because that is what monsters do. Instead, I'm going to do something even more cruel to you, and to Magical Britain. You want him and anyone of vampire blood gone from Hogwarts? Then we're leaving. Harry, come along. Oh, and Hermione? Schrödinger? Come along too." As the three teenagers, followed shortly by Ron, came up to Alucard, he then said to Fudge, "But if Voldemort, or some other threat to your position and to Magical Britain comes along, it will be up to Harry to decide whether he will bother saving your worthless hide. Pray to whatever deity you believe in that he decides to forgive those transgressions, to be a better man than I am, because given the way you have treated him, worse than excrement on your expensive little shoes, I wouldn't be surprised if he left you all to **_rot_** in a _Hell of your_ _ **own**_ _making_."

With that, Alucard and his small entourage left the Great Hall, followed shortly thereafter by Seras and Integra, leaving Fudge standing there in shock. Dumbledore walked by, and favoured Fudge with a cold glare, before leaving for his office. It took a long time before Fudge could gather the wherewithal to move once more…

 **CHAPTER 16 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, Umbridge has been eaten, and so too has Alhambra, but Harry, Hermione, Ron and Schrödinger have left Hogwarts. For good? Who knows, but there'll be a lot of fallout for a while between Hellsing and the Ministry. The next chapter will be an interval chapter before the Valentine assault.**

 **And yes, Hermione has become a dhampir. I know, normally this can't be 'transmitted', so to speak, but this is my story, my rules, and besides, where Alucard is involved, rules tend to go out the window. At least that possibility was raised earlier in Chapter 10, and I had intended for Hermione to become a dhampir for some chapters now. We'll also look at why Schrödinger's powers were suppressed.**

 **Hope you enjoyed the references to** ** _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_** **in this chapter, by the way.**

 **Oh, and 'Situation B' for the Cromwell Invocation is basically a different beast to 'Situation A', which is what Alucard uses in the manga. It basically means there's a threat to Integra's person. It's just a different protocol allowing for Alucard to use his Release State.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Gilgamesh The King of Heroes** **: The proof itself is irrelevant. Almost everybody believes** ** _The Daily Prophet_** **, and Umbridge did this to damage Harry and Dumbledore's reputation, as well as to spite Hellsing. But she also actually used, as mentioned, a device that detected vampires and those with their blood.**

 **Danny79** **and** **davidteague3950** **: The reason why Umbridge thought that Harry was Alucard's son rather than his grandson was that she detected that Harry was half-vampire, and so assumed, given Hellsing and Alucard's interest, that Alucard was Harry's father. A not-unreasonable mistake to make.**

 **Captain James H00k** **: Dumbledore will remain their ally, and he will be more forthcoming about information. As for the attack on Hellsing, yes, it will be a joint operation between the Valentines and the Death Eaters. Wait and see…**

 **perfectshade** **: Partly because it's an heirloom, and partly because it was modified to be basically on par with modern weapons. BTW, neat little fact? The Tommy Gun was originally intended for trench warfare during World War I, and was even nicknamed by its creator, John T Thompson, as a 'Trench Broom'.**

 **Regarding references to the Abridged Series, I will use what I want. I am trying for a blend of canon** ** _Hellsing_** **and the Abridged version. And I'm glad you like what I'm doing with Seras and Harry. Seras gets dumped on a lot in canon by Alucard. While Integra is distant, and Walter ever dapper, Seras and Harry can get along on a closer level as friends and pseudo-siblings. I find it ironic that Harry has taken an older sibling role with Seras, as she's four years his senior, but given that he's gone through more shit than her, it isn't surprising in hindsight.**

 **1\. I don't think the English-dubbed version of** ** _Iron Chef_** **made its debut until after 1995, but the show has been going since 1992. This is, of course, a variation on Alucard's** ** _Epic Meal Time_** **reference in episode 2 of** ** _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_** **.**

 **2\. An infamously dark joke, originally used in the James Bond book** ** _Live and Let Die_** **, and later used in the film** ** _License to Kill_** **, when a shark-mauled Felix Leiter has this pinned to him when Bond finds him.**


	18. Chapter 17: Fallout

**CHAPTER 17:**

 **FALLOUT**

"So…you're a dhampir, Harry," Ron said the next morning at Hellsing. "Alucard's your grandfather, and Hermione's now a dhampir because you bit her."

"And exchanged some of his blood with her," Alucard said. "It's part of the process for how we vampires turn a human into a vampire. And she smells like a dhampir now. She doesn't actually need to drink blood by any means. Getting turned merely kickstarted her regeneration, bypassing Alhambra's enchantments on his cards, luckily."

"…Bloody hell," Ron said in a small, quiet voice. The redhead looked pale at the thought. Hermione seemed to be coping with her transformation better, but then again, she knew about this already!

"Ron, I didn't want Hermione to die," Harry said. "You didn't want her to, did you?"

"No, no, of course not! But now she's going to be out of Hogwarts!" Ron protested. "So are you, because of Fudge! And because of Alucard eating Umbridge…well, I don't think you're getting back any time soon, Dumbledore or not!" He looked over at Alucard. "Gotta say, though, that was wicked, eating Umbridge. I dunno whether to cheer you on or be sick."

"Umbridge was more a pile of shit than a person," Alucard said. "Now she's dog shit. Especially seeing as she gave poor Baskerville the runs. Knowing the truth about Harry, are you still willing to stand by him, Ronald Weasley?"

"Of course I am!" Ron snapped. "I know Harry, and I know he isn't evil, dhampir or not! Okay, you are, but you at least kill the bad guys, don't you?"

"I try to. Harry is a far more moral person than I have ever aspired to be. As Vlad the Impaler, I performed many atrocities in the name of God. As Dracula, I performed many atrocities in my own name, out of amusement and malice. As the chief hunter for Hellsing, I do many dark deeds to protect people like you from the monsters lurking in the darkness."

"And what about that Tubalcain Alhambra guy?" Ron asked.

Schrödinger spoke up, Ron only now noticing the cat ears protruding from the younger boy's head. "He was one of Millennium's agents. Are you aware of the Nazis, Herr Weasley?"

"Sure. They're those Muggle blood purists who Grindlewald allied with in Germany during the Second World War, right?"

" _Ja_. Millennium is a remnant of a top secret research group the Nazis formed at the time. I am one of their creations, though I defected. Most of Millennium are vampires, though the top two personnel, the Major and the Doctor, are cyborgs, I am a chimaera between human, cat, and House Elf, amongst other things, and my friend, the Captain, is a Loup-Garou."

After a moment of trying to process what the catboy had said, Ron asked, "What's a cyborg?"

"Cybernetic organism, Ron," Hermione explained. "It means that parts of their bodies are machines."

"Almost all of them are machines," Schrödinger clarified. "They may look wholly human, but in truth, I don't think there's much of them left that are."

"I attacked Millennium's original incarnation during the Second World War," Alucard added. "Sadly, it means that the Major has become fixated on causing my end, in much the same way as Voldemort has fixated on Harry's. In many ways, the Major is worse than Voldemort. Voldemort merely wishes for conquest, and while he will slaughter anyone in his way, he at least has a goal beyond death and destruction."

"The Major, however, want to die in a blaze of glory, destroying as much as he can in the process," Schrödinger said. "He thirsts for battle."

"As do I, but while I would love nothing more than to give the Major his last battle, as you saw last night, he and his agents don't care about who gets caught up in the process. Technically, I don't, but a friend of Harry's, I will protect. By the way, Schrödinger, I am bringing that amulet to Harry's grandmother. While I have knowledge of various rituals and magic, Bathory is more knowledgeable about this than I. I'm hoping she can find a way to nullify its effects. We can't have Millennium recapturing you, or else finding a way to have you complete your original purpose."

" _Danke schön_ , Alucard _._ "

"Original purpose?" Ron asked.

"I am everywhere and nowhere, Herr Weasley," Schrödinger said. "In simple terms, it means I have two innate abilities. The first is that I can appear anywhere in the world, even if there are countermeasures against Apparition. The second is that, if I die, as long as I can will myself to exist again, I can undo that death. But if I am unable to discern my living state, I would cease to exist, sink into nothingness. The Major's plan was to trick Alucard into drinking my blood. Alucard has a multitude of souls within his body, and I would not be able to discern my own existence within him, which meant I would fade into oblivion, and take Alucard with me. If Alhambra had a means to suppress my powers so that I couldn't escape, it means that the Major is still fixated on having me go through with the plan."

"If he's teamed up with Voldemort, we may have to see if you can be trained to resist the Imperius Curse," Alucard mused. He then looked at Ron. "It's good that you showed solidarity with your friends, Ronald Weasley. But you may have to go back to school."

Integra came in as Alucard said that. "At the moment, it's a mess with the Ministry. I've just had a meeting with your officious brother Percy, who's now the Senior Undersecretary. Fudge, upon learning that Umbridge had Blood Quills in her possession, is now trying to wash his hands of her. But he's still refusing to let Harry or 'Stoker' go back to Hogwarts. The same with Hermione, now that she's a dhampir, and Schrödinger. Dumbledore's trying to negotiate, but I doubt he'll have any better luck. That being said, he managed to confirm that Alhambra wasn't with the Brazilian DMLE. The documentation was a good forgery, but a forgery nonetheless. Alhambra was actually on the radar of the Brazilian DMLE. That being said, Madam Bones and Scrimgeour got eyewitness testimony of what happened from the Aurors present, including Alhambra trying to murder Harry, which is something even Fudge cannot deny, and a few are willing to testify that Umbridge tried to curse me, including Tonks and Shacklebolt."

"What good can that do?" Harry asked.

"Without Malfoy and Umbridge, a lot of support for Fudge is wavering. In truth, last night, Fudge and Umbridge over-extended themselves, and many of the neutral elements within the Wizengamot feel that Fudge is showing that he is unfit to be Minister, especially with Her Majesty putting pressure on the Ministry. There are also reports of a breakout from Azkaban that Fudge has been trying and failing to cover up. I believe that a no-confidence vote will be made soon. By attacking Hellsing, the Ministry is bringing even more attention from Her Majesty, and while many blood purists are arrogant to believe they can supplant the Royal Family, most on the Wizengamot are intelligent enough to realise what folly that is. And Alucard's pronouncement last night made it clear that Fudge went too far, that he has just driven Harry away from Magical Britain. In fact, today's edition of _The Daily Prophet_ , thanks to a leak from Tonks, will have that article. The Ministry may control it, but there's nothing like a juicy scandal to get things going against them." Integra had a rather nasty smirk on her face.

"Harry…you're not leaving Hogwarts for good, are you?" Ron asked.

"I don't know. I mean, I don't want people to get hurt by Voldemort, so I want to try and stop him anyway. But…every year I've been there, Ron, something happens that nearly gets me or my friends killed. Quirrellmort, the Basilisk, the Dementors, the Tri-Wizard Tournament…" Harry shook his head. "Even if I did go back, people are going to be treating me like Voldemort's second coming because I'm Dracula's grandson. Remember how they treated me when it came out that I was a Parselmouth? They already turned on me thanks to Fudge and Umbridge. That article last night was just the final nail in the coffin. If I do take my OWLS and NEWTS, it'll be by correspondence. Ron, we're still friends. But unless there's a good reason, I'm not going back to Hogwarts."

* * *

Eventually, Ron had headed back to Hogwarts, saddened that his two best friends had been forced to stay away from that school. Hermione, meanwhile, was troubled as she walked the grounds with Integra, Alucard shadowing them from a discreet distance. She knew Harry turned her into a dhampir (something she thought was impossible, but given that Harry and his grandfather shared an ability for making the impossible reality, she decided to roll with it), but now she was out of Hogwarts. Only the knowledge that Hellsing had one of the largest libraries in the United Kingdom and the support of her friends stopped her from panicking.

"How does it feel to be a dhampir, Hermione?" Integra asked quietly.

"…No different than I am being human…except I have this…love for blood. It's a bit disturbing."

"At least as a dhampir, you're not bound by as many of the weaknesses of a vampire, and you share many of their strengths. As with Harry, I will consider you under the protection of my organisation. If the Educational Decree banning you from Hogwarts is rescinded, then you may return, but until then, I will have you working with Hellsing. I'm not sure whether to make you a field agent, but given your intelligence and research abilities, I think you can help with that. And in truth, it may be a better position than any Muggleborn can get within the Ministry, or really anywhere in Magical Britain. And to tell the truth, besides myself, Seras is the only woman on staff here. We could do with another to help balance out the testosterone."

Hermione couldn't help but snort a little at that. And to tell the truth, Integra's offer was enticing. And Integra was right: until Fudge or, more likely, his successor rescinded that Educational Decree, she couldn't go to Hogwarts. Fudge had witnessed her being turned into a dhampir, after all, and it was highly unlikely he would keep quiet. And if Malfoy or any of his cronies had still been in the Great Hall when everything went south (she would later find out that Pansy Parkinson had been, and had witnessed her turning), they wouldn't keep quiet either.

At least Integra offered something. Something that Hermione knew she wanted to do, if only to make sure that the average person could sleep soundly in their beds…

* * *

When the Major made his offer, Voldemort nearly rejected it out of hand. To create vampires out of his minions was dangerous, he thought. Only Voldemort could be immortal, and he didn't want any competitors, even in the form of vampires. He certainly didn't want to become a vampire: his Horcruxes were adequate. And, of course, working with a mere Muggle was beneath him, despite the enthusiasm of the Major.

But one name came to mind, and thanks to the Major's men, and a mass breakout of Azkaban, they had obtained the one Death Eater whose loyalty to Voldemort was absolute enough to risk turning them into a vampire.

If only he didn't have to deal with these immensely irritating Valentine brothers, or at least Jan. Luke at least was polite and mannered for a Muggle-turned-vampire, but Jan was a foul-mouthed boor. Thankfully, Jan spent most of his time drilling his troops, a large squad of ghouls with guns and body armour. Luke was the one who performed the procedure on the chosen minion, the process having apparently been simplified enough so even he could do it.

Which was why Voldemort was pleased when his chosen vampire minion walked through, looking better than she had in ages, though she had clearly fed on some imbecile, with blood dripping from her lips in a surprisingly attractive (to Voldemort, anyway) manner. "Ah, Bellatrix," Voldemort purred. "How does it feel to be a vampire?"

"Marvellous, though I don't think Pettigrew would agree with me," she said with a grin, showing her new fangs. "He became my first meal."

"Bellatrix," Voldemort rebuked mildly, "he did help me regain my body. Cowardly and untrustworthy though he was, I spared him for that. He had his uses as a spy."

"That use ended long ago. I am privy to his thoughts thanks to his blood. He owed a life-debt to Potter for sparing his life. And he was a snivelling coward with no loyalty to you at all, save for out of fear. Even Snape is more worthy of being with us than he is. Forgive my boldness, Master. I just woke up thirsty with Pettigrew and Macnair gawking at me, and between Pettigrew and Macnair, I thought you'd miss Macnair more."

Voldemort chuckled coldly. "True enough."

Luke Valentine walked in. "Don't worry, Lord Voldemort," the blonde vampire said smoothly. "She drained him dry. Didn't turn him into a ghoul. We're currently putting the final touches on the plan to assault the Hellsing Organisation when the Round Table is convening there."

Voldemort nodded. "Take out Hellsing and Alucard, and the only threat left will be Dumbledore. And given public opinion towards Hellsing is down, Magical Britain will not care one jot. And if you kill the Round Table in the process, the power of Muggle nobility in Britain will be eviscerated. Keep in mind, Luke Valentine, that I do not tolerate failure, and I am sure that the Major does not either. I will send the Carrows and Greyback with you. Exterminate Hellsing, the Round Table, and Alucard. Wipe them out. _All of them_."

 **CHAPTER 17 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **And here you have it: Voldemort's sending some heavy-hitters to Hellsing, including a vampirised Bellatrix. Seriously, out of all of his minions, I'd bet that Bellatrix Lestrange is the only one he'd allow to be turned into a vampire.**

 **As of the previous chapter being posted, we now have 100K views! And up to Chapter 22 will be posted now, with Chapter 23 written, and held aside for a later update. Chapter 23, BTW, will have Harry fighting Rip van Winkle. Yes, you read that right. Harry fights Rip van Winkle.**

 **Next chapter: the assault on the Hellsing Organisation!**

 **Review-answering time!** **Captain James H00k** **: Schrödinger is NOT a vampire. Dunno where you got THAT notion from. Anyway, Alucard will concentrate more on Harry, but he will teach Hermione stuff given time.**

 **Leicontis** **: Actually, she's more partial to dark chocolate. :P**

 **KioshiUshima** **: I've already asked them via PM, but can anyone point out the reference I made to** ** _The Dracula Tapes_** **in Chapter 13? Because if I did make one, it was unintentional.**

 **diagonalpumpkin** **: Thanks. While Harry will still be far more moral than Alucard, he will get darker in coming chapters, especially where the whole familiar thing comes into play.**

 **UmbraVenator** **: No, he isn't. He went as a matter of solidarity with his friends, but he's gone back to Hogwarts for the time being. He's basically there to keep the few 'true believers' going.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	19. Chapter 18: The Valentine Daylight

**CHAPTER 18:**

 **THE VALENTINE DAYLIGHT MASSACRE**

Integra hated dealing with the Round Table, given that it was little more than a collection of aristocratic old farts who looked down on her because she was a woman, and a young one who they thought too young to command. She had invited Dumbledore here, simply to lend more gravitas to the situation, as well as backup in case things went wrong. Thankfully, it was a weekend, so he could defer his Headmaster duties to Professor McGonagall.

She finished giving her opening about what evidence she had gathered about the Millennium vampires, before she dropped the bombshell. "We have recently received confirmation about the organisation behind these vampires, from a defector from said organisation. The Nazi operation which Alucard and Walter C Dornez were sent to destroy in the Second World War survived, remnants fleeing via the ratlines to Brazil. This remnant renamed itself Millennium, and has focused itself on creating a small but potent army of artificial vampires. These attacks are an attempt to weaken Hellsing by spreading our operations thinly across Britain, before launching a full-scale invasion to destroy London, and attempt to kill Alucard via poisoned bait, so to speak. Thanks to this informant, we also know that Millennium has been giving some support to the rogue warlock known as Lord Voldemort."

Consternation swept the Round Table, with only Sir Hugh Irons and Dumbledore looking calm, or at least not commenting. Irons said, playing his role in this pre-scripted drama, "Where is this informant?"

"I am everywhere and nowhere, gentlemen," came the lilting Teutonic voice of Schrödinger, who appeared suddenly next to Integra. "Greetings, members of the Convention of Twelve. My name is Schrödinger, and until recently, I was a member of Millennium."

Integra was delighted to see waves of consternation sweep the Round Table. Only Irons and Dumbledore, who knew about Schrödinger, didn't react. Penwood, however, demanded, "What is the meaning of this, Sir Integra? Who is this boy?"

"Schrödinger is the result of experimentation performed by Millennium's chief researcher, known only as 'the Doctor'," Integra said. "He was created for the sole purpose of being the 'poisoned bait' I mentioned. His intelligence on Millennium was confirmed when Alucard consumed the blood of my late butler, former Hellsing operative Walter C Dornez. Walter was a mole within this organisation, spying on me for Millennium. Schrödinger is important enough to Millennium's plans that they sent an operative to Hogwarts, masquerading as a representative of the Brazilian Department of Magical Law Enforcement, to attempt to retrieve him. Said operative, Tubalcain Alhambra, is now dead, thanks to Alucard, along with Senior Undersecretary to Cornelius Fudge, Dolores Umbridge. Alucard reacted badly when she attempted to curse me covertly, on top of ruining the reputation of Harry Potter. The purpose of this meeting is to bring you up to speed on the particulars of Millennium's plans, as well as find a way to root out any traitors within your organisations." _And to counter the Valentines' attack on Hellsing_ , Integra added to herself. It was, after all, part of the reason Dumbledore was here…

* * *

Sirius peered out of the window with binoculars, Seras and Harry looking on, along with Mad-Eye Moody, who had come with Dumbledore. They were assigned to greeting their gatecrashers, while the main body of the Hellsing forces were throughout the mansion. Nobody was on guard at the gates per se, but surveillance was manned. They watched as a bus, marked 'TBBC', pulled up, and a sextet clambered out.

Sirius swore. "Moody, they've got Greyback with them, along with the Carrows. They've also got Cousin Bella. Looks like the reports of the Azkaban breakout were spot on. But she looks too healthy to be an escapee."

Moody looked with his magical eye, which he had linked to instruments he had seeded near the entrance to Hellsing. "We've got a problem. Bellatrix Lestrange is definitely a vampire, along with those Valentine Brothers. Three vampires, a werewolf, two psychotic Death Eaters, and an army of ghouls with weapons."

"Who are these people? I've heard of Bellatrix Lestrange, but who are those others?" Harry asked.

"The Carrows are fanatical followers of Voldemort," Moody growled. "Greyback's the werewolf that infected Lupin. He's a vicious bastard. And they're taking apart the wards so quickly! Black, use that radio, put the forces on Orange Alert. Warn them that an enemy incursion is inbound, and they are to standby and prepare anti-Midian armaments. Victoria, are you ready?"

Seras had her new Harkonnen rifle ready, under a notice-me-not charm on the window it was poking out of. "Yes, sir. Whom do I shoot?"

"Hit the bus with an incendiary round while the ghouls are still in it," Moody said. "With any luck, we can take out the majority of their attacking forces in one go. Keep in mind, once we hit that bus, we lose the element of surprise. Once they manage to get into the estate, we'll withdraw from this position to intercept the enemy before they can advance on the conference room. Potter, the moment Victoria fires the Harkonnen, summon up Fiendfyre if you can manage it. You might be able to catch the vampires with it. Otherwise, if you don't think you can control it, use _Bombarda_."

"Got it."

Sirius had contacted Remus and Hermione, who were in the comms centre. After nodding to Moody, the grizzled ex-Auror then said, "Okay, Victoria…fire."

The massive report of the Harkonnen nearly deafened them. The bus seemed to have a crater suddenly appear in its side, before an explosion tore it apart in a ball of flame. As the sextet of attackers looked around, astonished, Harry jabbed his wand through the window, and summoned the very diabolical fire he had summoned in Cheddar.

The tsunami of flame blasted across the grounds of the Hellsing Estate. It was difficult to direct it, but Harry managed with a supreme effort of will, seeing through its 'eyes' once more as he controlled it to swoop down upon the sextet.

The Valentines and Lestrange leapt out of the way. So too did Greyback, but his arm was caught in the inferno as it hit the ground. The Carrows, however, were consumed by the diabolical flames, their screams cut off within a second.

The survivors dived behind the walls as Harry extinguished the spell before he could lose control. Meanwhile, about a dozen ghouls emerged from the wreckage of the bus. They wore military uniforms, body armour, and many were wielding ballistic shields marked with an arcane-looking eye symbol and the words 'VOODOO PEOPLE MURDER PEOPLE(1)' on them.

Seras reloaded the Harkonnen. "Do I fire on the ghouls?"

"The less we have to deal with, the better," Moody said.

 _Alucard, do you hear me? We've got at least three vampires and a werewolf attacking,_ Harry sent as Seras fired again.

 _Yes, I heard. I'm watching the surveillance feed from my chambers_ , his voice came back. _Nice work, Seras, on the ghouls. We've removed most of their army. It's now their leaders who are the main worry. Three vampires, even Millennium's cheap Xeroxes, and a feral werewolf are nothing to sneeze at, obviously. I don't think you'll be able to catch them with anything, though_.

Harry swore when he saw the three vampires dash into the Hellsing manor in a swift blur, Greyback following not far behind, even as Seras managed to hit most of the remaining ghouls with her shots. _They're in, Alucard_.

A dark chuckle echoed up their connection. _Then they have just come to their deaths_ …

* * *

"What do we do now?" Greyback snarled, clutching at the burnt remnants of his left arm. The quartet had just made it into the foyer, and the vampires had just finished off the guards who were there.

"We stick to the plan," Luke said. "We may not have been able to use our ghoul army, but I will go to confront Alucard with Lestrange. Greyback, head to the heliport and destroy the helicopter. It'll cut off their escape route. Then, rejoin Jan. Jan, turn anyone you can find into ghouls. Use them as your army when you attack the Round Table. Let's go." And with that, the quartet split up, ready to wreak havoc on Hellsing…

* * *

"Red Alert," Sirius spoke into the radio. "Enemy forces within the Hellsing Estate. Numbering four: three vampires and a werewolf. Engage only if necessary, repeat, only if necessary. Otherwise, withdraw to secure positions. All personnel near the conference room, prepare for our arrival." Changing channels, he then said, "Moony, Hermione, where are they?"

" _They've split into two parties, Padfoot_ ," Remus said. " _Greyback is tearing his opponents apart, while the one we've identified from the file we had as Jan Valentine is feeding on his victims, turning them into ghouls. We've lost a dozen people already from their attacks, Greyback more than Jan. Lestrange and Luke Valentine are making their way to the basement, presumably to confront Alucard. Padfoot, Jan's coming this way, I need to get these people out of here. I think Greyback is heading for the roof to destroy the helicopter._ "

"Okay, Moony, get to it!" He changed channels on his radio again, and said, "Sir Integra, they're making their attack. Barricade the door to the conference room!"

" _Understood_ ," Integra said.

After a while, they suddenly heard the PA system of the estate spring into life. " _Hello? Is this thing on? Right, we're in business. This message is for the old fucks of the Round Table Conference, and especially the queen whore herself, Miss Frigid Bitch Hellsing! Yeah! You're currently being fucked over by the Valentine Brothers, namely Luke and Jan, which is me, by the way, as well as Miss Bellatrix 'Batshit Crazy' Lestrange and Mr Fenrir 'Bad Touch' Greyback, two of the finest specimens of Lord Voldemort's army! I'd have introduced the lovely Carrow twins, but they got flamebroiled on the way in, which was a bit of a dick move by you guys, but hey, I shouldn't complain. Only gives me more incentive to skullfuck you dipshits until_ _ _there's more cum than brains in your skulls_. I'd put money on that being the Boy Who Lived himself, who's gonna become the Boy Who Choked on My Massive Cock. You hear that, Harry Potter? We're coming for you, and dhampir or not, you'd say your prayers, as Voldemort's said he needs you alive, but not necessarily unharmed. I'm partial to violating every orifice you have, and some you didn't even know about._ "

Suddenly, the building shook, and the sound of an explosion reached their ears. " _Hoowee, that nice little sound you heard was your escape chopper going to pieces, like you ought to be doing right now! Now, once I've finished having a working lunch, I'm gonna be paying you dried-up old turds a visit so that we can get…intimately acquainted. By the way, thanks for the grub, guys, all these soldiers you've fed me. Soon, Hellsing will be nothing but vampire shit. So, before we get there, I recommend the following to pass the time: cowering in a corner, pissing yourselves, and praying to your impotent God. Of course, if you hurry, you can take us up on our special self-service offer: just use a gun to decorate the walls with your brains! It'll be a lot more pleasant than what we'll do to you. Thank you London! We love you, and good night!_ "

"I never thought I'd meet someone who makes Cousin Bella look like a paragon of sanity," Sirius said quietly after a moment. "Come on, we'd better go and deal with this idiot."

* * *

"WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU, ALUCARD?!" Bellatrix screamed as they descended into the basement areas of Hellsing. "QUIT HIDING, YOU COWARD, AND FACE ME!"

As they walked into a cavernous room, they heard a tenebrous voice say, "Who said I was hiding?" Their eyes, now adjusted to the darkness of the room, found Alucard seated in a chair, a table with a glass of what looked like wine next to it. "Never mistake my patience for cowardice. And empty vessels make the most noise, Bellatrix Lestrange."

Luke rolled his eyes as Bellatrix sneered. "My apologies for my partner's outburst, Alucard. I am…"

"Luke Valentine, yes, I know. Schrödinger was most informative," Alucard said. "And Bellatrix Lestrange, one of Lord Voldemort's chief lieutenants. The torturer of Frank and Alice Longbottom using the Cruciatus Curse, alongside your husband and brother in law, and Barty Crouch Junior. I'd admire your work if we weren't enemies, though I prefer to torture fools who think they can best me in combat. And frankly, you're little more than a rabid dog belonging to Voldemort."

"AVADA KEDAVRA!" Bellatrix roared, a massive blast of sickly green energy lancing out from her wand and smashing into the No-Life King. So massive was the blast, Alucard's chair was annihilated by the spell, and the man himself was currently embedded in the wall at the far end of the chamber.

"…That was anti-climactic," Luke remarked, bemused.

"...Actually, that stung pretty hard," rasped the voice of Alucard. "Wiped out a couple of hundred souls inside me. Thankfully, I have over three million spare." He laughed as he clambered out of the crater, until he saw the pile of splinters that was his chair. Then, his red eyes narrowed in a glare that promised a slow painful death for the intruders. "I **_liked_** that chair. It was a priceless antique, and what's more, it was quite comfortable. So, can you do anything other than hurl green bolts of death, Lestrange? And you, Luke Valentine…let's see what you've got…"

 **CHAPTER 18 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Originally, the Valentines' attack (along with the others) took up one chapter. However, on reflection, I realised I rushed it, so I've divided it into two chapters. Nothing much to say here.**

 **Review-answering time! Regarding the use of Darth Sidious/Palpatine's line, it's a good line. One thing I'd like to see is Ian McDiarmid voicing the far more nuanced Palpatine of the webcomic** ** _Darths and Droids_** **.**

 **jgkitarel** **: Agreed. Ron's out of his depth here, and he won't be playing as big a role in coming chapters. I find it hard to bash him, though having him play a more background role is another matter.**

 **paladin3030** **: Jamie Hyneman, obviously. I made that very reference in** ** _Is Your Great-Aunt an AI?!_** **Anyway, Hermione will rely more on spells than guns, mainly because she is more of a support role for Hellsing. I thought of Hermione more having the automatic crossbow from** ** _Van Helsing_** **, actually. Her using a gun seems odd to me, but an automatic crossbow? That somehow suits her, in my eyes.**

 **Kmon13** **: Sir Integra handled the issue of Hermione's parents between chapters. She is, after all, the diplomatic face of Hellsing as well as its leader. They're probably relieved that not only Hermione is still alive, but she only desires blood, and not actually needing it. They won't be happy about the situation, but they'll be able to deal with it, especially as Hermione is now working for an organisation with ties to royalty and nobility. They'd be more worried about her proximity to Alucard…**

 **vmage2** **: I didn't keep the line, as you can tell above. I like that line, don't get me wrong, but it didn't fit, as Jan wasn't massacring as many personnel as in canon. He's still a horny psychopath, as you've noticed.**

 **Fireofargentis** **: Sadly, you're not getting either of those. Bellatrix can barely stand the Valentines, as they are, despite being vampires, Muggles.**

 **Storylover213** **: Wait and see. ;)**

 **1\. Okay, in the manga and show, it was 'BOODOO PEOPLE MURDER PEOPLE', but that doesn't make sense.**


	20. Chapter 19: Fighting Back

**CHAPTER 19:**

 **FIGHTING BACK**

Jan called out in a lilting voice, "Little Hellsing, Harry Potter, where are you? Come out to play. I promise it'll be a lot of fun…well, for me, anyway. I'm gonna rape you, torture you, fondle your intestines, skullfuck you as you die a slow, painful death, then go home and have a wank."

Greyback looked over at Jan, who was being followed by a small group of ghouls he had managed to turn. They were heading for the conference room. "You're disgusting," the werewolf, nursing his charred left arm, growled.

"Everyone's a critic," Jan groused. He had to admit, though, this little sojourn was too easy. In fact, there seemed to be less personnel than they were told would be here, and he only had a few dozen ghouls to call an 'army'. Then again, maybe they were too chicken to fight back. "Anyway, this is coming from Mr 'I Infect Little Boys and Girls'. Seriously, dude, you're saying _I_ have no standards, Mr Paedophile Werewolf?"

"I give children the gift of lycanthropy, I don't rape them," Greyback growled. "I leave that to the Dark Lord's other minions."

"That sound you hear, Mr Child-Molester Chihuahua, is the sound of me not giving a fuck. If you want one, go down to the local pharmacy, ask for something called Spanish Fly, and it'll help you go fuck yourself(1)," Jan said. Then, he saw someone emerge from a side room. His gloved hand seemed to flex, and a series of flashing lines seemed to appear out of the air. Jan heard the ghouls behind him, or at least most of them, get minced.

"Well," the figure said, "I actually did well for the first time using it in combat. Shame I didn't get them all."

"What the hell?"

"Good morning. I'm Harry James Potter, the Boy Who Lived," the teenager who had just emerged said, the shining lines waving around in front of him. Weaponised monofilament wire, Jan realised. "Dhampir, novice trash collector for Hellsing, and the grandson of Alucard. And I kill smug little twats like you. Now, what was that about violating my orifices?"

"Potter," Greyback growled. "The Dark Lord wants you alive, but he didn't say you needed to be intact. I'm going to make you pay for that Fiendfyre attack!"

Potter merely dived to the side, and yelled, "NOW!"

A buxom, blonde-haired girl slid out in front of the door, wielding a massive rifle. The dark-haired form of a man also slid out, wand at the ready. Jan heard something behind them, and saw a bushy-haired girl, and a couple of grizzled-looking men, one of whom looked like Frankenstein's Monster, behind them, wands at the ready.

The ghouls were annihilated by a series of spells, while Potter waved his hand. Once more, the wires appeared, and wrapped around Greyback. "Funny thing, these wires. They have just enough silver in them to be effective against vampires and werewolves!" Potter snarled.

"STUPEFY!" one of the men behind them yelled, and Greyback was stunned by a hail of Stunner spells. Jan, however, hadn't been idle. He picked up one of the fallen ghouls and flung them into the wizards behind him, and used another to fling at the ones in front. As they scattered, he dashed for the doors to the conference room, only for the blonde woman to grab him and bear him to the ground. How could this bimbo be so strong?! She smelt of vampire. That was the only reason she could be this strong.

"Did they teach you that in the police force?" the dark-haired man asked.

"Yep," the buxom blonde answered.

"Kinky," the dark-haired man remarked.

The woman then hauled Jan roughly to his feet, breaking his arms and legs as she did so to prevent him from getting away, and she glared at him. "You filthy little toe-rag. If Millennium hires guys like you to do its work, then it's got bloody low standards!"

"So you know, huh?!" Jan sneered. "That stupid little catboy must've blabbed. And don't you talk to me about low standards, ya vampire slut!"

Potter approached, the wires glinting as they dangled from his glove (not being needed for restraining Greyback). "I don't think we need you for anything. We've got enough swearing with my grandfather around. Is Millennium going to set you on fire?"

"Now that they know I fucked up, it's only a matter of time!" Suddenly, the woman leapt back as blue fire erupted from Jan. It was sheer burning agony…and he loved every painful second of it. "See what I mean?! Oh well, I had fun, even if I fucked up! And at least I'm gonna go out with a raging boner! Now THAT'S burning wood! Happy trails, you fuckers! Enjoy your victory while it lasts! WAHAHAHAHA!" He died laughing, giving them the finger as he did so, with soon all that was left of him being ashes.

* * *

In the basement, Alucard was being shredded by Luke's bullets, and the spells spitting from Bellatrix Lestrange's wand. He had to admit, he was having a lot of fun, and he was glad that Harry had managed to deal with the threat upstairs with little trouble. True, about a third of Hellsing's forces had gotten killed, but if they had gotten caught with their pants down, so to speak, Alucard knew that Hellsing may very well have been wiped out. And Alucard, thanks to Walter, had at least an inkling of people to contact to supplement the Hellsing troops until they could replenish them.

His opponents were having a lot of fun. Lestrange was lost in bloodlust, cackling as she shot spells at Alucard. Luke Valentine was getting cocky, and then, he made a bad mistake. "You can't touch me!" he yelled. "I was handcrafted to kill you! My speed, strength, stamina, they rival…no, they DWARF yours!" He stopped firing, as did Lestrange, and then, Luke crowed, "Compared to you, I AM A DEMIGOD!"

Oh _dear_. Alucard could tell that the same thoughts were running through Lestrange's head, but at least she didn't voice them. Sighing, he said, "Really? Well, I have to admit, 'Demigod', that you've proven entertaining, with abilities even above Category A vampires. But I think it's time to kick things up a notch, don't you think? I mean, aren't you getting bored of just turning me into Gouda cheese with your bullets and spells?"

"Yeah!" Lestrange yelled. "You're meant to be Dracula! I want to see what you're really like! STOP HOLDING BACK!"

"If you say so. Excuse me a minute," Alucard said. "Releasing Control Art Restriction Systems 3…2…1. Approval of Situation A recognised; commencing the Cromwell Invocation. Ability restrictions lifted for limited use until the enemies have been rendered **_silent_**." As he began to feel the power flooding through his body, he said, "Now, are you ready to learn how _true_ vampires do battle?"

Their respective reactions were interesting, to say the least. Both were understandably startled by his dissolution into a shadowy mass, even frightened. But where Luke all but pissed himself and ran, Lestrange, after a moment, cackled, and screamed, "NOW THAT'S MORE LIKE IT!", and threw herself into the fray with increased fervour. A woman who lived wholly for slaughter and torture. If she had been around before that whole business with van Helsing, he would have made her one of his brides, no question. Assuming she was a virgin, anyway. Of course, there were other means for people to become vampires, like how he did. Or that damned chip they put into her.

He sent part of himself with Baskerville to chase down the fleeing Luke, while he continued to battle Bellatrix Lestrange. At least it was enjoyable with her. He might not be able to be bested by a monster like she was, but she was still giving him a good time.

Sadly, Luke was far less fun. Alucard had shot off his legs, leaving the man to sprawl, whimpering, at the base of the stairs. "What are you?" Luke asked, before he screamed, "WHAT THE FUCKING HELL ARE YOU?!"

Alucard reformed the part of him that was linked to Baskerville, and snarled, "Come on, _Demigod!_ What's the matter? Get up and attack me! I've only taken your legs away from you! REGENERATE THEM! SUMMON UP YOUR FAMILIARS! HIT ME! FIGHT ME! _GIVE ME A HUG!_ DO ANYTHING BUT WHIMPER AWAY LIKE A COWARD! COME ON, HURRY, HURRY, **_HURRY!_** THE NIGHT IS SO VERY YOUNG! IF BELLATRIX LESTRANGE IS ABLE TO FIGHT ME, WHY WON'T YOU?!"

"MONSTER!" Luke howled. And that's when Alucard knew. He had the measure of Luke Valentine.

Alucard scowled, glaring down at his prey. "You dare call yourself a demigod in comparison to me? You're a demigod in comparison to nothing, not even a lowly worm. Just a useless lump of meat, fit only for a few minutes' distraction!"

"You've got nothing to talk about!" Luke snarled, more out of false bravado than anything else. "You're the one who's little more than a dog for Hellsing! A pathetic excuse for a vampire who…"

"SILENCE!" Alucard roared. Once Luke had shut up, he said, "You're not the first to call me a dog. You won't be the last. And like so many others who called me a dog…do you know what that makes you? _Dog food_. Baskerville needs a good meal to wipe out the taste of the last one. Baskerville… _bon appetit_."

Luke had just enough time to start screaming as Baskerville lunged. As the hellhound devoured Luke, Alucard heard Harry say, _Is everything all right down there?_

 _One down, one to go. If you're done up there, Harry, come on down here. I've got an interesting little notion. You've already created your first fledgling in Hermione. I think it's about time that you got a familiar that wasn't donated. Consider it my making up for fifteen years' worth of birthday and Christmas presents._

 _It may have to wait. We're currently sweeping the mansion to make sure there's no more ghouls and…wait, what? What do you mean, a familiar? Who the hell are you giving me?_

 _Bellatrix Lestrange. It truly is a delicious irony that Voldemort's most loyal underling will become yours. And if you don't want her, well, I'll offer her to Seras. And if she doesn't want her, well, I'll eat her myself. I mean, I've got familiars to spare, but I won't say no to another._

 _…Can I think about it?_

 _Sure, I'm having fun fighting her anyway. Luke Valentine was a little pussy, though, and like many a little pussy, he got eaten by a big, scary dog. I think Baskerville needed some pussy to balance out the toad he ate, anyway._

 _…Can't you just say cat?_

 _Now that's no fun! I like making people uncomfortable with how I speak, and life is no fun without an embarrassing grandfather!_

 _You're not just embarrassing, Alucard. You're scary._

 _I'm Count Dracula, Harry. If I'm not scaring the shit out of people, then I'm either in some asinine kiddy show, or something's very wrong. Or both. By the way, did I ever tell you about that time I met Christopher Lee? It was actually just after the Second World War, before he made those_ Dracula _films_ …

* * *

"Wait, what?" Hermione asked as she and Harry, carefully swept the rooms of Hellsing, looking for any ghouls left over. "Alucard met Christopher Lee…just after the Second World War?"

"He just told me that apparently Lee met him while they were trying to track down any remnants of Millennium. Apparently Lee worked to track down Nazi war criminals shortly after the war ended(2). They're still friends, but he reckons that Lee isn't quite dangerous enough as Dracula."

Hermione blinked, before muttering, "Christopher Lee…has met the real Dracula. I think reality is collapsing in on itself."

* * *

"You knew about this, and yet you allowed this to happen?!" Penwood demanded of Integra. Seras was standing with her, as a bodyguard of sorts, though the attack was practically over. Integra hated the fact that her people still died, but was maintaining a stoic façade until this was over.

"Yes. For a number of reasons. The first was that the attack was to occur during the next Round Table Conference, regardless of our preparation for it," Integra said. "I therefore made the decision to beef up the security so that when an attack did occur, we would be prepared, and thus ensure your safety. I would not say 34 of our personnel dead would be considered an acceptable loss, of course, but I take some consolation in that it could have been a lot worse. The second was that we needed to eliminate these threats."

"And you also wanted to demonstrate your competence at handling the Hellsing Organisation," Irons said.

"That wasn't my primary concern, but I would be lying if I said that wasn't a factor. Given that Voldemort has sent some of his own forces, this will also serve as a demonstration to him as well. He believes he can kill Muggles with impunity. This is a message that he is mistaken. This is also a message to Millennium."

"In all likelihood, they will only accelerate their plans," Schrödinger said. "I only know the vague outline of the plan to attack England, but I do know that they intend to lure Alucard away from these shores so that he's temporarily out of the way when the invasion begins."

"Which means we will have to keep an eye out for unusual occurrences," Integra said. "Professor Dumbledore, while I know that with your duties as Headmaster of Hogwarts will prevent you from doing much, we require your help in whatever knowledge you have with regards to Voldemort and his followers."

Dumbledore nodded. "I am intending to consult with Alucard on certain matters regarding Voldemort. I have also asked Madam Bones of the DMLE to keep an eye on certain parts of the Ministry, especially the Department of Mysteries. There is something there that Voldemort wishes to obtain."

"Very well. Now, we will continue with this meeting for the time being…"

* * *

The funerals took place quickly. Integra felt responsible for the deaths of those involved, and while it hadn't quite been the brutal massacre they had feared, the truth was that a third of the personnel had died. If it weren't for the strategies in place beforehand, it could have been worse.

As the last coffin was lowered into the ground, Harry was trying not to think about what happened afterwards. How he came down to the basement where Alucard had finally finished playing with Bellatrix Lestrange, and was holding her at the ready. She was snarling and spitting defiance at them both. At first, Harry was reluctant to consider making her a familiar, until he remembered that Bellatrix had used the Cruciatus Curse on Neville's parents. She had gleefully tortured them into insanity, and made Neville's parents all but dead.

But it was Bellatrix's comments about Hermione, whom she called Harry's Mudblood whore, that had him make the decision to make her his slave. He hated to admit it, but her blood was delicious. He enjoyed drinking every last drop. And he was glad. Killing people outright, he had qualms about. But turning these sort of people who into part of an army only he commanded? He found a delightfully dark irony in it. That worried him. It felt like something of his grandfather was coming to the fore.

Even now, if he wanted to, he could hear Bellatrix screaming in impotent rage within him. She may be subordinate to his will, but it didn't stop her from screaming imprecations at him. Greyback had been delivered to Alucard, who took his time killing him. Remus had found himself unable to watch when Alucard used a silver stake on Greyback in a manner similar to that which he used back when he was Vlad Tepes…right through his alimentary tract. But to know that the werewolf who had infected him and so many others was dead was at least a relief to Remus.

After the burials, the main members of Hellsing, official and not, came into Integra's office. "Everybody," Integra said, her voice husky with emotion. "You did superlative work given the circumstances. We could have had even greater casualties. 34 of our people dead is no cause for celebration, but the remainder being still alive is. Seras, your work in decimating their trained ghoul forces is grounds for especial commendation. And Harry, you used those wires with a skill that Walter may have been proud of. All of you did well. But we cannot rest on our laurels. We still need to fill the hole in our forces. Alucard, you said that there was a mercenary group Walter knew of that we could use, the Wild Geese. Can we trust them?"

"I did independent research, Master," Alucard said. "The Wild Geese are very much mercenaries. But as long as they are paid and not treated as disposable cannon fodder, they will be loyal to our cause. They are headed by Phillippe 'Pip' Bernadotte, a French mercenary whose family line can be traced back to Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte, one of Napoleon's marshals. Through that, he is also, albeit very distantly, related to the current Swedish royal family(3). I've taken the liberty of contacting them. They will be in London within the next few days."

"Very well. As Auror Moody would say, we need to practise constant vigilance. Millennium has failed to destroy Hellsing, but it intends to continue on its course regardless," Integra said. "We are going to make sure that, whatever they try with their insane plan, we will make sure that their so-called blaze of glory will be little more than a small campfire. They failed. They will **_continue_** to fail. When they come, we will decimate them to the last man."

Harry saw the restrained anger in her, and couldn't blame her. There were times when he thought Integra acted like a goddess. Now, she was Nemesis, divine retribution embodied…

 **CHAPTER 19 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Hope you enjoyed this chapter. And in case you're wondering, why would Harry make Bellatrix into his familiar? Well, in this story at least, he'd consider it justice.**

 **Anyway, we'll have a little more of Bathory in the next chapter, along with the debut of Pip and the Wild Geese.**

 **Review-answering time!** **paladin3030** **: Regarding the Longbottoms, I have no idea. I'll think about it, but no promises…**

 **Have a Little Feith** **: That makes sense. That explains where that came from.**

 **DragonsBC** **: I should have made it more clearer, but Bellatrix put a lot of power into her Killing Curse, making it basically appear as a Wave Motion Gun. She basically wanted to kill Alucard right off the bat, a surprisingly pragmatic move from Bellatrix. Pity it didn't work.**

 **1\. As this story is set in 1995/1996, Viagra wasn't around at this time. So I modified the line (one of my favourites from** ** _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_** **) by using the famous, if dubious, aphrodisiac known as Spanish Fly.**

 **2\. Yes, Christopher Lee actually did this. He also did secretive things with the SOE and the group that would become the SAS, things that he had only hinted at. For example, apparently, while filming Saruman's death scene for the extended version of** ** _The Return of the King_** **, he apparently knew a bit too much about what someone being stabbed in the back sounded like…**

 **3\. Kouta Hirano said that Pip is of Swedish origin, and apparently, the current Swedish royals are descended from Jean-Baptiste Bernadotte. Go figure.**


	21. Chapter 20: The Wild Geese

**CHAPTER 20:**

 **THE WILD GEESE**

Bathory peered at the necklace Alucard had brought her. "You know, this is a rather tacky gift," she said with a smirk.

Alucard snorted at the bad joke. "Tubalcain Alhambra had this on him when he came to try and take Schrödinger away from Hogwarts. This somehow suppressed Schrödinger's powers."

"Hmm. This is interesting. It's like a subtle version of the Imperius Curse in a way. It doesn't actually supplant the entirety of a person's will, just one part of it." Bathory had been in contact with Alucard and Integra since the Valentines' attack, and had been briefed on Schrödinger and his abilities. "Schrödinger's teleportation ability needs him to perceive being elsewhere. This charmed necklace suppresses that ability, supplanting it with the will of the wearer. Alhambra must have basically forced Schrödinger to remain where he was by his will insisting that Schrödinger cannot be anywhere other than where he was. It's a surprisingly subtle piece of spellwork. As it happens, I can actually re-engineer the spells on this to grant Schrödinger immunity to that. It can also enhance resistance to the Imperius Curse in general, and he may need it more than anyone else."

Alucard realised what she was getting at, having guessed at it before. "Because if he got hit with the Imperius Curse…he could still be forced to fulfil his original purpose, feeding me with his blood."

"Yes. I wouldn't be surprised if the Major tried to have Voldemort or one of his lackeys do so," Bathory said. "Better to be safe than sorry. Speaking of which, I hear that Fudge may be on the way out. There's still many in the Ministry who want your head, though."

Alucard scoffed. "They can have it for as long as I can be without a head before regenerating," he remarked. "Fudge seemed determined to drive the boy he had been trumpeting as a saviour for years into becoming Magical Britain's worse nightmare. Which reminds me, I may need your help for something."

"Yes?"

"After Harry made Bellatrix Lestrange his next familiar, he learned that she has an object in her vault that may be a Horcrux. Dumbledore has a lead on another. I wondered if you had any leads that may help, on finding them."

Bathory chuckled. "Yes…perhaps I do. The thing about Horcruxes, even if multiple ones are made, is that they are tethers, linking a soul to this plane of existence. But tethers can be pulled upon. Voldemort is far from the only fool to make multiple Horcruxes. Herpo the Foul created at least two, meaning three soul fragments, but a rival dark wizard happened upon one of them, and used a ritual to effectively tie the fate of all soul fragments together. Thus, if one is destroyed, then they all are, along with the creator. I only know this because I fed upon an ancient vampire who was the one who did the deed, albeit when he was still alive."

"Charming. If I bring you this Horcrux, will you be able to do it?"

"The ritual takes some time to prepare, but yes. Of course, Voldemort is but part of the problem. Leaving aside Millennium, Voldemort merely exploited feelings that had been there for years, just as Hitler exploited anti-Semitism that had been prevalent throughout Europe. I can't offer a solution to that, obviously. And with Harry outed as our progeny, even in an inaccurate manner, I doubt Magical Britain will be rallying behind him any time soon."

"I am considering shaping him into a shadow protector of Magical Britain, along with Britain in general. He detests his fame, but he has what his fledgling Hermione calls a 'saving people thing'."

"Ooh, he has a fledgling? I didn't think it possible for a dhampir to turn someone. I guess I was wrong. Then again, he is our grandchild. We both make the impossible possible. And Harry Potter has had a knack of doing so anyway."

"She is now a dhampir herself, or rather, she has the abilities of one without the genetic legacy. In any case, Dumbledore and I have been discussing Harry's destiny. Dumbledore would prefer that Harry remain a paragon of light, but Umbridge and Fudge have blown that out of the water. Harry has drifted away from Dumbledore's ideal of what his morality should be, but he is still opposed to the darkness that Voldemort and Millennium represent. I daresay he has even influenced me, along with Seras. I may still be a monster, but…it's like having children, trying not to be a bad example. Or at least too bad an example: they know I'm a monster, they know what to expect from me. But I think ensuring that Harry remains moral, or at least stays away from emulating my own morality, is the best legacy I can ever leave. More than my bloodstained reputations as Vlad Tepes, or as Count Dracula, or my deeds with Hellsing. I think Harry will help Britain from the shadows, hopefully with Hellsing."

"Well, we can expect great things from him, then, if that's the case. Not that I really expected anything less from our progeny…"

* * *

Seras looked down at the object on the floor. She sighed quietly. "I really have to do this?"

Harry nodded. "Sorry, Seras. I guess I got the better part of the deal, being a dhampir."

"Indeed," Integra said. "I understand your desire for comfort, Seras, which is why I consulted with you on what to get first, as well as making modifications. But sadly, this is a necessity."

"Yes, but…sleeping in a coffin…I mean, it's a nice coffin and all, and I'm grateful, Sir Integra, but…is this necessary?" Seras asked.

Hermione chose that moment to speak up. "Vampires need to sleep in coffins that have the soil of their birthplace in it. It maintains their powers."

"If we ever needed to transport you overseas, you would need this coffin," Integra added. "Dhampirs don't have the same weakness, but vampires cannot travel over water, even in an aeroplane, without their coffin. Should we need to take the fight to Brazil, this will be where you need to reside during the journey."

"…I know. It's not just the whole 'vampire sleeping in a coffin' thing. I'm…I'm a bit claustrophobic. Comes from the time when…when my parents died. I was watching what happened from a wardrobe."

"The lid is easy to remove from the inside," Integra said. "I also asked Alucard whether it will be effective with the lid off. He said yes, so if you have any episodes, you can keep the lid off. But it's most effective with the lid on, and should you make the journey overseas, you may have to keep it on."

Seras nodded morosely. The coffin was a nice one, she had to admit. It was a darker, stronger wood, and a lot larger and wider than most (she wanted some room in there), and was quite comfortable on the inside. But the buxom young vampire was still skittish.

Schrödinger came in. "Sir Integra, the Wild Geese are set up and waiting. Herr Lupin and Herr Black are keeping them entertained."

"Thank you, Schrödinger. All of you, come with me."

* * *

Harry wasn't sure what he was expecting from a mercenary group like the Wild Geese, but they seemed to be a ragtag assortment of men in khaki, grizzled and a bit dubious. Their leader, a young man with light brown hair braided into a ponytail, an eyepatch, a red scarf, and what looked like an Australian slouch hat, was saying, "…here to destroy monsters." His French accent was only slight, mixed in with other accents.

A wave of laughter filled the air from the mercenaries, while Remus and Sirius looked on, knowing that these guys were about to get pranked. Even Integra seemed to be in an impish mood, as she said, with a slight smirk, "Oh, it's true, Mr Bernadotte. The Hellsing Organisation exists to hunt down monsters of many kinds. However, our specialty is the type that drinks blood to retain immortality. Your weapons, gentlemen, are silver bullets, garlic, and fire. In order to be thorough when killing them, you stake them through the heart, decapitate them, burn the body and scatter the ashes at crossroads. Your field manual was written by Abraham 'Bram' Stoker."

Another wave of laughter. Integra then added, "Another adversary you may have to face are wizards and witches. These people use a wand to cast spells, and their most lethal spell sounds like 'Abracadabra'."

Bernadotte scoffed. One of his underlings, a chubby man wearing goggles, jeered, "There's no such thing as vampires or wizards, everybody knows that!"

"Until some centuries ago, 'everybody', or at least many, believed in the Ptolemaic system, that the Earth was the centre of the universe. Wizards and witches try to conceal their existence, and do so via memory alteration. As for vampires, the Hellsing Organisation cleans up after their messes, cover their existence up, and we have done so for a century. You may not have realised it, but the men you have been talking to are both wizards. Sirius Black is wanted by the magical authorities for a crime he was framed for. Remus Lupin is a friend of Black's, and he is also a werewolf." Integra had gotten Remus' reluctant permission to divulge this. "Harry Potter and Hermione Granger here are also young mages. And as for vampires, may I present to you Miss Seras Victoria."

Harry watched her as she stepped forward, slightly nervously. Of course, the mercenaries could hardly believe that a buxom young woman, wearing a mustard yellow uniform, was a vampire. Indeed, there were gales of laughter. Bernadotte got up, and walked over. "Wait, what? You're kidding, right? This girl's a vampire?"

"Yes, I am. Hello." Seras smiled nervously.

There was more laughter. _Harry, they're laughing at me_ , Seras said via their link.

 _Don't worry, they won't be soon_. Out loud, he asked, "Sir Integra, perhaps a demonstration?"

"Of course." Seras, Integra, and Harry had worked out a demonstration in advance.

In a flash, Harry had his wand out, and hit Bernadotte with a Body-Bind. As he stiffened, and toppled over, the mercenaries stopped laughing. "It's rather rude to make fun of someone I consider to be an older sister. Seras?"

"Gotcha," she said. With one hand, she picked up Bernadotte, and held him high over her head. She even balanced him on a single finger. Then, she set him down, keeping him standing, before she flicked her finger at him. Bernadotte was sent flying, crashing into the wall.

" _Finite_ ," Harry said, and Bernadotte could move again.

"What the hell…?" Bernadotte murmured, as he shakily got to his feet. "He used a wand, a damned wand, and I was paralysed…and that girl…she lifted me like it was nothing, and…she flicked her finger, and I was sent…what the hell are you?"

"She's a vampire, obviously," came the familiar tenebrous voice of Alucard, who had partly emerged from a nearby wall, much to the consternation of the mercenaries. "Even if she hadn't partaken of any blood, Seras' strength and alacrity would be beyond that of a human being, Mr Bernadotte. But she has, and she is now at a level you may not be able to comprehend. And Harry is not just a wizard, but my grandson, a dhampir. He may not be on the same level of strength as myself or Seras, but you would underestimate his ability at your peril."

"Alucard, would a simple hello suffice next time?" Integra asked wearily as he emerged fully from the wall. "How was your meeting with Bathory?"

"Successful. Schrödinger, catch." Alucard tossed the catboy the very amulet Alhambra had.

Schrödinger looked at the amulet dubiously, before he grinned. "It doesn't suppress my power anymore! _Vielen Dank_ , Alucard!"

"It also helps shield against the Imperius now, along with other things. It still needs an effort of will to work, but you should manage," Alucard said. He looked over at the Wild Geese. "So…are you now realising just what you're in for? Are you willing to fight against monsters and magic?"

Before the Wild Geese could reply, Dobby appeared. "Miss Integral, sir, ma'am, we've got mail. And there's one you need to see urgently!"

"Thank you, Dobby," Integra said, kneeling down to take the envelope off the House Elf. She opened it, and then stared at the letter. "Damnation," she muttered.

"What's the matter, Master?" Alucard asked.

"Enrico Maxwell, the head of Iscariot, is asking for a meeting at the Imperial War Museum," Integra said. "He wants not only my presence, but that of Harry and Dumbledore. Which begs the question: Why?"

"I don't know, but if he tries anything," Alucard said, his next words having the air of the pronouncement of a deity, " _he will regret it._ "

 **CHAPTER 20 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **The introduction of Pip and the Wild Geese! Next chapter will be Maxwell, and a meeting that will go somewhat better than in canon.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Gabriel Herrol** **: Part of the problem was that Luke Valentine reacts badly to losing in canon. Alucard has his measure calling him a coward. And I'd imagine that Bellatrix Lestrange would love to face a powerful opponent like Alucard. She loves fighting. I'd imagine Jan Valentine would love to face Alucard with his restraints removed, while Luke is another matter entirely.**

 **perfectshade** **: I think by this point, Millennium have got contingencies in play in case they can't lure Alucard away. They're going to have the Death Eaters as allies for the assault on London, and Voldemort has one particular task that will mean Alucard may be a moot point…**

 **No numbered annotations.**


	22. Chapter 21: Maxwell and the Major

**CHAPTER 21:**

 **MAXWELL AND THE MAJOR**

Harry hadn't been to the Imperial War Museum, so it felt odd to be there for the first time, and on business rather than pleasure. It was even odder to see Dumbledore dressed in Muggle clothing, albeit dressed in old-fashioned clothing, along with a wide-brimmed hat. Alucard, Seras, and Remus weren't far behind, just in case Iscariot tried something, but under the circumstances, in a public building in broad daylight, they were unlikely to.

They were asked to meet at 3PM at the Kaster painting _The Earl of Worcester at the Battle of Mammon Plain_. Enrico Maxwell, along with Father Renaldo, his second in command, would be present. It was now just past 3, and the Iscariot delegation were late.

Then, they finally arrived, a few minutes after they were meant to come, conversing about the restoration of a monoplane, before coming to a standstill near them. "Oh dear, it seems we took up too much time admiring the restored artifacts," one of the men remarked in a deep, resonant voice. He was in his late twenties, perhaps his thirties, tall, thin and elegant. His hair was white, tied up in a ponytail, while his eyes, behind his glasses, were violet. He was handsome, even beautiful. But something about him put Harry in mind of a Malfoy, a sense that, behind the jovial and pleasant façade, he was looking down on you. The other man was an older one with a moustache. "My apologies. I hadn't meant to make you wait."

"You're here now. That's what matters," Integra said, though it was clear that she was just going through the motions of formality. "Father Maxwell, would you be so kind as to state why you asked to see us? We haven't been on the best of terms with Iscariot, even before Anderson's intervention at Badrick. I am surprised you wished to speak with both my charge and Professor Dumbledore as well."

"Well, I had hoped to introduce myself, but perhaps that is a moot point. I am not here to fight with you, and indeed, I would consider it foolish to do so in the presence of Albus Dumbledore," Maxwell said smoothly. "However, it is a pleasure to meet you all. Sir Integra Fairbrook Wingates Hellsing. Professor Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore. And Harry Potter." The man gave a small bow, and the others matched it, Integra a little reluctantly. "I have come here under the directive of His Holiness to give you information. The cafeteria will be more amenable to our discussion."

"Very well. However, if the information you wish to tell us is about Millennium, I fear you may have had a wasted journey. We have a defector who has told us much about that organisation," Integra said as they moved off.

Judging by the look on Maxwell's face, this was indeed part of the reason why he came. As they made their way, he said, "Anderson did mention that Alucard seemed aware of who was responsible for these new vampire attacks on British soil. Perhaps an exchange of information is in order…"

* * *

As they had tea and coffee in the cafeteria, Maxwell listened as they detailed what they had learned from Schrödinger. Throughout, Harry got the feeling they were being watched. And not just by their guardians too, with Alucard listening in along with Seras to what Harry was watching. After they had finished, Maxwell said, quietly, albeit with a rueful smile, "It seems that our sins have come back to haunt us."

" _Our_ sins, Father Maxwell?" Dumbledore asked.

"By 'our sins', I mean the Vatican's. We helped many members of Millennium escape to Brazil via the ratlines used by prominent Nazi fugitives after the war," Maxwell admitted, albeit without any actual apologetic tone. "Rest assured, we are now working to purge the Vatican, and particularly Iscariot, of any traitors. Indeed, it was Anderson's report of what happened in Badrick that prompted this internal inquisition to rid ourselves of Millennium's allies in the Vatican. Of course, it wasn't the only reason I came here. Frankly, I could care less about what Millennium does on British soil. I intended to give information as an olive branch after what happened at Badrick. However, there is a growing problem in Britain that concerns the Vatican as well, as there is no doubt that this problem will spread across the world. I speak of Voldemort and his followers."

"I see. Iscariot intends to find a way to stop him?" Integra asked.

"Indeed. The British Ministry of Magic are fools. We were planning on sending more operatives to attack Voldemort when he was vanquished, seemingly by Harry here. Now that he has been revived, we have decided to revive that plan as well. I came here to notify you as a courtesy. We have assigned three Iscariot operatives to attack Death Eater operations in Britain. Until their mission is over, they will not attack or interfere with Hellsing operatives. I trust them enough to do so, just as I trust you to ensure your pet vampires don't do the same."

"Please don't tell me you sent Anderson, did you?" Harry asked wearily.

"I did. Anderson will obey orders. A number of his comrades in Iscariot were murdered by Voldemort during his first reign of terror, along with his mentor. I have also assigned Heinkel Wolfe and Yumiko Takagi to him. While Anderson wishes to have a showdown with Alucard, he'll be willing to work alongside Hellsing, at least until Voldemort is stopped. If he conquers Britain, it won't be long before he sets his sights on Europe. Already, we have his people attacking Iscariot interests in Europe. We intended to send operatives in, regardless of your say. This is merely a courtesy, notifying you. Once Voldemort is dead, then they are under orders to promptly withdraw from Britain."

 _That's far from reassuring_ , Harry thought to himself, something he knew Integra and Dumbledore thought as well.

Out loud, Integra asked, "Where will they be based?"

"They will be moving bases between hotel rooms, and we can't tell you for the secrecy of our operations' sake. However, there may be times when they could come to you to exchange information. Try not to start any fights, please? They are under orders not to do so."

"We will try. And we thank you for letting us know, Father Maxwell."

"You are welcome," Maxwell said with a smile. It was a pleasant smile, but one that seemed to have something dangerous wriggling behind it.

* * *

Shortly after the meeting was over, and Dumbledore and Integra were discussing things over tea (Maxwell having left), Harry wandered away, only to notice a pair of people, oddly dressed, sitting just inside. Well, one of them was oddly dressed. That one was a tall, blond man, thin, dressed in a lab coat, and wearing a strange pair of glasses with multiple lenses. The other was surprisingly normal-looking at first glance, a rotund man wearing an immaculate white suit, with blonde hair and glasses. However, the rotund man had a massive smirk on his face, and his eyes were a strange golden colour.

Harry recognised them both from memories his grandfather had given him of Millennium's personnel, those who had been involved in the events at Warsaw, anyway. The tall, thin man was the Doctor, and the rotund man was the Major.

"Hello," the Major said in his cheerful, high-pitched voice. "Good to meet you! Though I think maybe I shouldn't have ordered that extra cup of tea. How are you this afternoon, hmm?"

"You're the Major," Harry said quietly. Through his mental link, he told Alucard, _He's here. Right here._

 _I'm on my way with Seras_ , Alucard sent back.

" _Ja_ , that I am, Harry Potter. You did very well against Jan Valentine. It seems that the messianic bleatings of Magical Britain have some small basis in fact, even if it is due to you being a dhampir. A shame Schrödinger had to spoil the surprise, though. It would have been more fun that way."

"Fun? People died."

"People do nothing but die, Harry Potter," the Major said cheerfully. "In any case, my grievance is not with you, but with Hellsing, and Alucard. But it is still truly amazing to have such a Herculean child fighting alongside one like your grandfather. Oh yes, we learned it from Walter before he was outed as a traitor. We have our sources. Ah, my heart beats faster just knowing that I will have such opponents. It will be a titanomachy of truly gargantuan proportions."

"From what Schrödinger told us, you don't have a heart, physically or metaphorically," Harry said. "You're little more than a machine with delusions of humanity."

"How rude the youngest generation is," the Major remarked. He would have said more, but Alucard walked in, followed by Seras.

"Major…so good to see you. I didn't think you'd be so bold as to set foot on British soil," Alucard said.

"It was only for a moment, Alucard," the Major said. "Forgive my discourtesy, but we aren't staying. We'll talk later, under more favourable circumstances. _Auf Wiedersehen_." Suddenly, they vanished after grabbing onto some cutlery and muttering something in German.

"A Portkey," Alucard mused. "Slippery little shit."

"Aye, you got that right," an Irish brogue said behind them. The two vampires and the dhampir whirled to find Anderson standing there, flanked by two others. "And hold your fire, Alucard. For the moment, I'm not here to fight you, much as I'd love to slaughter your sorry, pale arse."

"You're here to deal with Voldemort, right?" Harry asked, still understandably wary of the Iscariot operative.

"Aye," Anderson said. "Voldemort killed my mentor, as well as some good friends of mine. And the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"I suppose this means your friends here are the Crossfire Duo," Alucard said.

" _Ja_. My name is Heinkel Wolfe," said one of them. It was hard to tell whether Heinkel was a young man or a young woman, given her androgynous features and short blonde hair. She wore dark-tinted glasses. She wore a priest's garb, further lending confusion with her gender. Even her voice was lower than that of most women.

"I'm Y-Y-Yumiko Takagi," stammered the young Japanese woman in a nun's outfit and with glasses. She was quite cute and endearing. Strangely, she seemed to have a slight Welsh accent rather than a Japanese or Italian one. "It's a p-p-pleasure to m-m-meet you." She bowed. Harry was wary of her nonetheless. Leaving aside what he knew of her split personality, he also knew better than to judge anyone with a stutter as being harmless. He'd made that mistake with Quirrell, after all.

"Hi, I'm Harry Potter," Harry said reassuringly to the young nun. "This is Seras, and you've heard of Alucard, no doubt."

Yumiko smiled shakily. "Of c-c-course. Just don't do anything to m-m-make her c-c-come out."

"Do you mean Yumie?" Harry asked.

" _Ja_. Yumiko wouldn't hurt a fly, and is the nicest possible person," Heinkel said. "Knock her out or remove her glasses, though…and Yumie wakes up. Pray you are not there when it happens, or at least that you are not fighting us. Yumie is a berserker and a master swordfighter. If you know of Yumie, though, you probably know that already."

"Sounds like my kind of woman," Alucard said with a grin. His face became serious. "While I cannot say that I am happy that Iscariot is going to be moving around Britain with impunity, I will wish you luck. I can do without Voldemort and his snake-suckers threatening the life of my master and my progeny. I am working on my own plans to deal with him, but if you're acting to thin out his followers, then I am glad, for once, that Iscariot is taking action. If you leave me and mine alone during this time, then I will reciprocate."

"Aye, will do," Anderson said. "Just remember, once Voldemort's been sent to Hell where he belongs, I'll send you there to keep him company, Alucard."

"You can try, Anderson," Alucard said.

As the Iscariot trio moved away, they heard Anderson say, "You know, this museum's a marvellous place. I should get Maxwell to give me permission to bring the kids over on an excursion."

"That's a great idea, Father Anderson…" Yumiko said. They heard nothing more as the Iscariot trio left.

"How can someone so caring towards his kids be such a vicious psychopath in battle?" Harry asked quietly.

"Easily," Alucard said. "Especially as we fit his definition of the enemy. But even many a brutal killer have some humanity in them. And he's better than his boss. There was something about Maxwell that set my teeth on edge. I smell the smell of dark ambition in him, more than even in most Slytherins put together. He stinks of the fervour of the Crusader, a fervour I once shared in life. I'd sooner trust Anderson than Maxwell, not that that's saying much. At the very least, Anderson and his fellow killers can keep Voldemort busy while we make preparations to deal with him for good. In fact…Harry, you can interrogate Bellatrix Lestrange's memories about Voldemort's habitual hiding places. We can send Anderson at them. I mean, he is willing to do so. And I think it'd be highly entertaining for the Death Eaters to rediscover why Iscariot should be feared by Dark Lords and their followers."

"And what about us, Master?" Seras asked.

" _Si vis pacem, para bellum_. If you want peace, prepare for war. The Major is so determined to have his war, as is Voldemort. We have to prepare for that…"

 **CHAPTER 21 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Here you have it. Now, in case you're wondering why Maxwell didn't insult Integra, it is because Integra was less brusque with Maxwell. This is partly because, unlike canon, Integra didn't lose as many of her men, which I think contributed to her short temper when dealing with Maxwell in canon. She also didn't lose her bodyguards to Anderson at Badrick. So while still a little brusque, she isn't as much as she is in canon.**

 **I also envisioned this version of Maxwell as being a hybrid between Abridged and canon, in that he has a more overtly decent mask over the megalomania and fundamentalist aspects within. That's why he is less cheerful when admitting to the Vatican helping Millennium escape to Brazil.**

 **I hope you liked Heinkel and Yumiko/Yumie (though Yumie is yet to appear). They too are hybrids, between their canon selves and their** ** _Crossfire_** **selves. I like the versions seen in** ** _Crossfire_** **. They'll play a role throughout this story as reluctant allies of Hellsing and Harry.**

 **And the favourites are over 1000! Yay!**

 **Incidentally, if any of you are interested in stories that should have sequels, go to my profile and vote in my poll.**

 **Review-answering time!** **KioshiUshima** **: That's one thing I'm trying to do. Pip will still tease Seras, but not as badly. Harry has helped improve her relationship with Alucard, if only because he helped persuade her to drink blood sooner. Which means she's more confident sooner.**

 **Thespurgin** **: Alucard was the one to hire them in the first place in this story, using Walter's knowledge (it was Walter, after all, who hired them in canon).**

 **Kmon13** **: Not in any chapters written to date, though Harry does use Bellatrix as a familiar in battle in an upcoming chapter.**

 **perfectshade** **: Seras and Harry have a sibling relationship, as mentioned before, and she trusts Harry, perhaps more than she trusts Alucard. After all, Alucard is centuries old and an eldritch abomination in human form. Harry is maybe four years her junior, and has been consistently kind and helpful to her. She's also maturing somewhat since she's coming into her own as a vampire.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	23. Chapter 22: Preparations

**CHAPTER 22:**

 **PREPARATIONS**

"A beautiful bird," Heinkel commented, peering at the snowy owl that had somehow managed to track them to their hotel room. "The Boy Who Lived has good taste in pets. Father Anderson, what did he send us?"

"Locations," Anderson said, perusing the letter the owl had brought. "I think he used some sort of charm to conceal them to anyone but us. Apparently he has made Bellatrix Lestrange his familiar, and has interrogated her memories. He's even included details of wards that Lestrange knows about. He's also stated that they're working on something to deal with Voldemort for good, though the lad's a wee bit recalcitrant about details. Nice to see he isn't sitting on his haunches."

Heinkel frowned. "What if it's a trap?"

"No, it's no trap," Anderson said. "Think about it. I got the measure of Potter during our meetings. There's darkness in him, sure, but much less than in Alucard. He doesn't like us, don't get me wrong. Well, 'cept for Yumiko here."

Yumiko smiled shyly as she carefully cleaned her swords…or rather, Yumie's. The demure young nun said, "He is probably hoping that we take out some of the Death Eaters attacking his friends while he and Hellsing deal with Millennium."

"Aye, that's part of it," Anderson said. "Alucard's got a paternal streak as well. I noticed that even at Badrick. I find it funny that Hellsing's pet monster is even remotely sentimental. But I noticed how he was protective of Potter and that blonde fledgling of Alucard's. No, I think this is genuine. He's also noted that, according to Bellatrix, Voldemort has been shifting between residences to conceal his location. But with Lucius Malfoy dead, he is spending more time at Malfoy Manor, according to Potter's interrogation of Bellatrix Lestrange's memories. That's our first target. We'll show these idiots that they should be fearing Iscariot. Heinkel, Yumiko, make no mistake: there's only three of us. That should be more than enough for this with God's backing, but all the same, I don't want you taking unnecessary risks. The Killing Curse is one of the few things that can overwhelm my regeneration ability. God's grace can only do so much, after all. Yumiko, make sure Yumie understands that. I'll not have you sent to Purgatory before your time because Yumie got careless." He reached forward and gently took Yumiko's glasses off. As if a switch was flicked, Yumiko's face became harder, more vicious and feral. "Yumie…you were listening, weren't you?"

"Yeah, yeah," Yumie, the other personality of Yumiko, said. "Be careful when dealing with the wizards with twitchy wand hands."

"Okay, but remember what I said," Anderson said. "I'll not have your death or Yumiko's on my conscience if you ended up copping a Killing Curse to the face. Now, we've got a raid to plan…"

* * *

Pip Bernadotte stared as Harry and Seras, between them, decimated most of the targets at the firing range, leaving only the 'civilian' targets standing, over four and a half kilometres away. " _Merde_ ," he muttered quietly, peering through his binoculars. "Accuracy at that distance with that bloody rifle, maybe, but a fucking Tommy Gun?"

Seras nodded. "I didn't think this was the right time for the Harkonnen. A normal anti-vampire rifle has less tendency for collateral damage."

"Yeah, but a Tommy Gun? The Chicago Typewriter?"

Harry unloaded the gun carefully. "This bad boy's been modified. As long as you only fire it in single shots, you can be as accurate as with a normal sniper rifle. You just need to have eyes as sharp as a vampire or a dhampir to shoot so well that far. The rounds are powerful enough to turn most vampires into Gouda cheese, or at least that's what Alucard told me."

Pip laughed. "Well, if it works…still, vampire hunting with a Tommy Gun. And you're still a kid, Harry."

"A kid who's had a homicidal maniac wizard on his case since he was one," Seras interjected pointedly.

"Okay, I get the picture. Sir Integra told me about Voldemort. Seriously, that's the best name that idiot could come up with? It's 'flight from death' in French!"

"It's an anagram of his name, actually," Harry said. "Tom Marvolo Riddle, which becomes _I am Lord Voldemort_. And he's dangerous as hell. People still fear speaking his name."

"Indeed," came the voice of Dumbledore behind them. Harry turned to find Dumbledore coming up behind them. "Fear of the name only serves to compound fear of the thing itself, and the Taboo curse hasn't yet been reinstated."

"Professor Dumbledore…" Harry said.

Dumbledore nodded. "Harry, I need to have a word. I did some soul-searching, and I realise there is something I need to tell you, that I needed to tell you."

Harry looked at him, before sighing. "Seras, keep an eye on them, will you, please?"

"Sure," Seras said. As Harry moved off, she asked, "Nervous?"

" _Oui_. Any sane person would. But, well, it's a once in a lifetime opportunity, yes? Fighting Nazi vampires and wizards," Pip said. "My grandfather once told me tales of fighting with the Resistance as a mercenary against the Nazis. I guess in one way, this is doing one better. Plus, knowing that there's a shadow world I never knew actually existed?"

"I know," Seras said. "I wish I didn't have to be turned into a vampire to survive…but you're right. Just knowing about these things I never knew were happening helps distract me a little from what happened. And Harry…well, he's helped me get used to this. I mean, it's thanks to him that I drank blood for the first time. And he's right. Drinking blood given willingly doesn't make me a monster, not in my heart and soul, which is what matters. He even helped me when we were attacked by Anderson."

"He's a bit young for you, isn't he?"

"God, no, I'm not thinking of him like that!" Seras yelped, blushing furiously in embarrassment and sincere denial.

"Just a little joke, no?" Pip laughed.

* * *

"So, what is it this time, Professor?" Harry asked, as they walked through the grounds of Hellsing.

"Something I should have told you long ago. I've already told you about the blood wards, but there was something else. You remember, shortly after that business with Quirrell and the Philosopher's Stone, that you asked me why Voldemort was after you? I told you I would tell you when I thought you ready. I really should have told you earlier, when you first came here, or even before that, but I either thought you unready, or else it slipped my mind." Dumbledore, after a brief pause, confessed, "There was a prophecy. Remember when Sybil Trelawney made that true prophecy about Pettigrew at the end of your third year, and I told you she had made one other?"

After a moment, Harry realised what he meant. "This prophecy…was made by her?"

Dumbledore nodded solemnly. "In brief, it stated that one with the power to stop Voldemort was to be born at the time you were, to parents who had 'thrice defied him'. The prophecy actually fit two children: yourself…and Neville Longbottom. Prophecy, of course, is a tricky thing. By acting to prevent it, one can be ensnared by it. Voldemort could very well have left it be, and nothing may have happened. But he chose to kill the child mentioned in the prophecy before he thought they could be a threat. He chose to kill you, instead of Neville. Why? Neville, after all, was a Pureblood child, and you were a Halfblood. But I believe that Voldemort saw more of himself in you than he did in Neville, as he was a Halfblood himself."

Harry was silent as he digested this information. Neville could have been targeted? And Voldemort murdered his parents, and tried to kill him many times over…over a prophecy uttered by a perpetually half-cut witch? After a moment, he asked, "Anything else to the prophecy, Professor?"

"The prophecy claims that Voldemort would mark his nemesis as his equal…which I believe to be that scar. Finally, it says that 'one must die at the hand of the other, for neither can live while the other survives'," Dumbledore said quietly. "I tell you this, because Alucard told me you have been given familiars, and familiars will prevent any attempt at Legilimency from being successful. Voldemort had only heard part of the prophecy. He's attempting to find the whole thing by trying to get into the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry, where the prophecies are kept. Though it may be a moot point now. Alucard told me that your grandmother is working on a ritual that may rid the world of Voldemort for once and for all, and while I am loath to consider using such a dark ritual to do so…if the world is rid of him, and you are free to live your life in peace, then I will swallow my pride. I've had to do that quite a lot lately."

Harry didn't trust himself to reply to that. Instead, he changed the subject. "What about Fudge?"

"A no-confidence motion is about to be made in the Wizengamot. Madam Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour believe that Fudge and Umbridge went too far to be remotely tolerated, as did many other prominent families. Indeed, some of them are wary of the fact that Umbridge used an instrument to determine your heritage as a dhampir. There are some families with creature heritages that they'd like to keep in the closet, and there are instruments out there that are banned. The fact that Umbridge possessed a Blood Quill on her person when she should have no reason to do so…Fudge is doomed. And without Lucius Malfoy bankrolling him…"

Harry muttered, "Serves him right."

"Harry…while Umbridge was a truly odious person, Fudge is merely a fool, driven by fear of losing his power and prestige," Dumbledore chided gently. "Fudge was a good man, and he may become one again, given time."

"I'm not hopeful," Harry said quietly. "What about that Educational Decree banning me from Hogwarts?"

"Sadly, even if it gets overturned, in all likelihood, public opinion may never let you back in, even with me in charge of Hogwarts. Being publicly outed as the grandson of the most infamous vampire to ever live…much of Magical Britain may very well see you as a dark creature for the rest of your life, Harry, and the same goes for Miss Granger. Umbridge, in her attempt to salt the soil of your reputation, succeeded all too well. But you and I know that darkness does not necessarily equal evil. Aside from yourself, there's Remus. And one only has to look at Miss Victoria to show that not all vampires are evil: even as she drinks blood and distances her body from humanity, her soul still remains in the light. I will endeavour to ensure that you still receive an education: Remus and Sirius are certainly more than capable of teaching you most of what you should know for OWLS at least, especially for Defence Against the Dark Arts, and I will find someone who can tutor you on anything else. On a related note, Miss Lovegood wants to visit on the weekend. She misses Schrödinger."

"He does too," Harry said, thinking about the catboy. And then, he thought about himself. Yes…he was becoming a dark creature. Darker than he was sure Dumbledore wanted him to be.

And Harry found himself okay with that. He was the darkness that fought against the even worse darkness, like his grandfather. He would never be as vile as Alucard had been, but he was okay with fighting from the shadows…

* * *

"Whatever it is, it isn't a bomb," the EOD expert Hellsing retained on staff said. "It's got electronics, but there's no traces of any form of explosive. Sniffer dogs have found no traces of explosives, poison, or biological agents. If I didn't know any better, the X-Rays showed that it's some sort of portable television."

Integra frowned. A parcel had been sent to Hellsing HQ, claiming it was a message for Integra, Alucard, Harry and Schrödinger, shortly after Dumbledore left. Schrödinger was bringing the parcel in even as the EOD expert was finishing. "A portable television?"

"The Major wants to speak to us all, no doubt," Schrödinger said as he unwrapped the parcel to reveal a television. "The original plan was for me to bring this to a meeting with you after you learned of our existence, preferably with the Round Table. Always assuming, of course, that you survived the Valentines' assault."

"We already know what he wants. What possible reason does he want to talk to us?" Integra asked. Harry, Alucard, Seras, Sirius, Remus and Hermione were present.

"He likes to hear himself talk, Sir Integra," Schrödinger said with an apologetic shrug. "I saw a draft of his speech he intended to make before invading England. He went on and on about how much he enjoyed war in all its forms."

"No surprise there," Alucard remarked, as Schrödinger turned on the portable television, and set it on Integra's desk.

The screen flickered for a moment, before revealing an image of the rotund figure of the Major. " _Ah, hello, Fraulein!_ " the Major said cheerfully. In the background, they heard screams, gunshots, the snarls of vampires.

Schrödinger smirked. "So, you've finally gotten rid of the Old Men of the Opera House, Major?"

" _Of course, Schrödinger. It's perhaps the one thing you and I can take pleasure in despite your desertion_ ," the Major said cheerfully, before the feed switched to a view of a number of bodies, as well as one living older man, gagged and looking terrified. A sign in German was hung from around his neck. Alucard told Harry and Seras (and Hermione, who now shared that mental link) over their connection that it meant, roughly, _I am a Defeatist!_

" _You see, I'm doing a touch of spring-cleaning, getting rid of worthless old relics and detritus_ ," the Major said from offscreen. " _My erstwhile superiors wanted to establish the Fourth Reich. My ends, however, are rather more simple, as my stray kitty has doubtless already told you: total war, for as long as we can manage it. In so much as that can be considered an end, anyway._ "

Suddenly, the old man was swarmed by vampires in Nazi military uniforms, who began feasting on him. A voice spoke, saying, " _Eat him all up_ , ja? _Having him turn into a ghoul would be annoying._ "

"So, the Doc is relegated to being cameraman?" Schrödinger tittered.

" _I heard that, Warrant Officer Schrödinger_ ," the Doctor retorted. " _I am recording the results of an experiment._ "

"Are you sure you're not making a snuff film for your own perverse purposes?" Harry retorted.

" _Oh dear, he's got you there, Doc_ ," the Major chuckled as the Doctor spluttered in indignant rage, and the feed changed back to the rotund madman. " _I can tell that you inherited a little of your grandfather's acid tongue, Herr Potter. I have to say, I was impressed with how you handled the Valentines, even being forewarned. I even saw the Fiendfyre you used through the feed from the chips. I haven't felt so thrilled to see something on fire since the Warsaw Uprising. No flamethrower can hope to match the power and fury of Fiendfyre._ "

"Flattery will get you nowhere," Harry said.

"I agree. If you have anything further to add, Major, make it fast," Integra said. "We know you want war."

"Ja. _War against England, against the Royal Order of Protestant Knights…and especially against Alucard_ ," the Major said.

Alucard chuckled darkly. "You really are a petulant, vengeful lot, aren't you? I'm more than willing to oblige your desire for your own death, Major. A shame I cannot drink your dry, given that you are now a cyborg, but I could do with less fat in my diet."

" _We'll fight against unfavourable results every time, Alucard. We are the Schutzstaffel, the feared SS of the Third Reich. Nazi Germany itself may be little more than a nightmare left behind by the war, but we are very much alive and real. We have killed many, breathed conflict and violence. And we have gone beyond fear. The only thing we fear is a death in the shadows, without the glory we hunger for! And I can assure you, my friends, that is not how we will die! We will not go gently into the dark! This, then, is my declaration of war, on the behalf of the Last Battalion:_ _ **We are coming**_ _._ " The Major waved goodbye. "Auf Wiedersehen. _I look forward to meeting you all on the blood-soaked battlefield._ " Then, the screen turned off.

Hermione sighed. "As if facing Voldemort wasn't enough, we now have to face a Nazi vampire army led by a deranged cybernetic SS officer. If this was a book, I'd throw it away as too-farfetched!"

Alucard snorted. "Sadly, as the old cliché goes, truth is frequently stranger than fiction. The Major has made his declaration of war. We will need to be ready for the next part of his plan."

 **CHAPTER 22 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Here you have it, the calm, so to speak, before the storm. Dumbledore's finally revealed the prophecy to Harry, Pip and Seras are growing closer, and the Major is about to make his move…**

 **Keep in mind, this will be the last chapter before the big July update. It'll be a fairly big chapter, though, with Harry facing Rip van Winkle. Yes, you heard that right. Incidentally, I will also be posting the first three chapters of my new Harry Potter/ _Hellsing_ crossover, _The Uncertainty Principle_ , at that time. You can read those chapters right now in my sample chapters collection _The Cauldron_.  
**

 **And don't forget to vote in my poll of my stories you'd like to see sequels to! That means possible sequels to** ** _Sins of the Father, Journey of the Sorcerer, Fall to Zenith, Xenophilia_** **, and** ** _Henry Ashford and the Goblet of Fire_** **.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Reishin Amara** **: I have something in mind for Yumiko/Yumie. I haven't written the part in question yet, but I have an interesting idea.**

 **Arctic013** **: I've no idea, and I don't have plans to turn her into a familiar.**

 **Leicontis** **: I debated whether to allow people to vote more than once, before deciding against it. It's nice to see that** ** _Journey of the Sorcerer_** **gets some love.**

 **No numbered annotations this time.**


	24. Chapter 23: The Freeshooter

**CHAPTER 23:**

 **THE FREESHOOTER**

Saturday morning, and Luna Lovegood had come back to Hellsing to be with her friends. Harry and Hermione had grown to like the strange girl, and she brought back news from Hogwarts at the level of the students: most had completely turned on Harry, though the Weasleys and Neville led a small but vocal minority. Given that Umbridge was dead (or one of Alucard's familiars, more to the point), and they were scrambling to find a decent DADA teacher (with Dumbledore stepping into the breach temporarily), this small group had created their own DADA study group. There'd been some debate as to what to call it, ranging from Dumbledore's Army (as a jab at Fudge's paranoia that Dumbledore was creating an army) to Harry's Army. Harry was glad they didn't choose that one. Instead, they had chosen the Defence Club.

Unfortunately, bad news arrived as Schrödinger and Luna caught up. It seemed that Millennium was on the move again…

* * *

"Last night, the Royal Navy lost contact with the aircraft carrier HMS _Eagle_ ," Integra said in her office. "Penwood is yet to give permission for Hellsing to act, but privately, we agree, for once, that this may be a job for us. He recently contacted me and told me that satellite photos show a swastika painted on the deck of the ship in what looks like blood, along with someone sitting under an umbrella. The _Eagle_ is currently 200 miles off the Sussex coastline. Just in case Penwood decides to allow us to act, we're working on our options."

Alucard, Harry, Hermione, Schrödinger, Luna, Sirius, Remus, Seras and Pip were present. "A heavy warship may work, but it would take too much time to mobilise," Pip mused. "Smaller boats would be vulnerable to the weapons systems on the carrier. A plane descending from above may be vulnerable to a surface-to-air missile, though chaff may help."

"If vampires are on the _Eagle_ , there's the problem of transporting either Alucard or Seras with their coffins," Hermione said.

Schrödinger nodded. "And I would bet that this is part of the diversionary operation, designed to lure Alucard away from England. The soldiers on board will sabotage the ship once Alucard is on board, and try to ensure he cannot get back to the mainland."

"They can try. I can use my powers to turn the ship into a ghost ship so I can pilot it back, but that would take time," Alucard said.

"The military intend to send in two squads of the SAS via helicopter," Integra said. "I believe that those men will die."

Alucard, who seemed to be thinking about something, said, "Invisibility Cloaks…I think they shield the wearer from reflecting any form of light…and radar is nothing more than a form of light wave."

"So?" Integra asked.

"If a stealthy approach is called for, I propose the following…" Alucard explained a frankly audacious, even ridiculously dangerous plan.

After he had finished, Integra said, quietly, "You want Harry…to risk himself in that manner?"

"I would do it myself, but that's what Millennium wants, to lure me away from England so that they can raze it to the ground with impunity," Alucard said. He looked at Harry. "I have faith in you, Harry. You are my progeny, you have a thousand familiars at your command, including Bellatrix Lestrange." He then looked over at Schrödinger. "You said you need to visualise your destination first before travelling, yes? Or rather, you can look at your destination before travelling to see whether it is safe?"

" _Ja_ , but I can't take anyone with me, Alucard. I can only take non-living things with me, and nothing above a certain weight."

"That's fine. I just need you to look at what is going on on the _Eagle_ , see who has taken it over."

"Oh! Good idea!" Schrödinger then closed his eyes, concentrating, before opening them. "Rip van Winkle is there. She is under the parasol on the deck of the _Eagle_. Other than that, the only other enemies on board are a group of our soldiers and ghouls created from the crew."

"That's the one whose gun shoots magic bullets, isn't it?" Luna asked.

" _Ja_."

"I'd better call Penwood, then," Integra said, "warn him about it." She went onto the phone.

As she spoke, Alucard looked at Harry. "While we're waiting for her to get an okay from Penwood, we'll work on your control of shadow forms. I have the feeling you may need it…"

* * *

Which was why Harry was, some hours later, in the early afternoon, flying over the Atlantic. It was an unusually sunny winter's day, albeit a cold one. The Invisibility Cloak was over him and the broom, and on his finger, he had a Portkey done up by Remus as a rather tacky-looking ring.

He felt nervous, anxious, about this. He was, after all, about to attack about ten vampires (according to Schrödinger) and who knew how many ghouls. Alucard said that this was, in a way, a test. His first full solo mission as a Hellsing operative. Where two SAS squads had failed, falling to Rip van Winkle's musket ball, he had to succeed. So, no pressure.

He made it to the _Eagle_ , and landed quietly on the deck, behind the 'island', the area with the bridge and the flight control tower. He peered out at Rip van Winkle. She was a woman, apparently in her early twenties, though Alucard knew her at Warsaw, so she was probably at least seventy-odd. She was tall, thin, with dark hair, almost pointed ears, a cute, freckled face, with sky-blue eyes peering out from behind thick glasses. She wore what looked like a suit of some kind, with a swastika pendant on a necklace around her neck. She was smiling cheerfully, even childishly, as she sat, cross-legged, under an umbrella, peering at an alarm clock.

Reaching into himself, he began summoning up his familiars, including Bellatrix Lestrange. The latter was to go into the ship itself, attack and kill any vampire or ghoul in her way, and thus distract Rip van Winkle. As it was still sunlight, and strong sunlight at that (Schrödinger had said that most of Millennium's vampires couldn't stand the sun, while the Valentines and Bellatrix had special chips that made them resistant), she couldn't do much anyway. The other familiars were to swarm through the carrier, with a few being kept aside by Harry to attack Rip van Winkle.

As the familiars waited at attention, Bellatrix at their head grudgingly, Harry then hissed quietly, "Search and destroy!"

Bellatrix then stormed into the carrier, followed by the familiars Alucard had donated to Harry. Screams filled the air, as well as the malicious laughter of Bellatrix. From his hiding place, still under the Cloak, Harry watched as Rip shot to her feet, umbrella in one hand, her musket in the other. "What the hell is going on?!" she demanded, apparently of her underlings.

Harry shot off a quiet _Expelliarmus_ spell at the musket, but she clung on, even as she was flung to the ground, barely hanging on to musket and umbrella. "SCHEISSE! _EVERYONE, FIND THE INTRUDER!_ "

Harry sent a dozen familiars at Rip van Winkle, who shot her musket at them. " _COME OUT OF HIDING, COWARD!_ " she roared as the musket ball weaved through the air, smashing through the familiars, forcing Harry to recall them before they were damaged beyond repair. " _TINKER, TAILOR, SOLDIER, SAILOR, MY BULLET KILLS ALL WITHOUT DISTINCTION!_ "

Through one of the familiars not yet attacked, Harry yelled, " _YOU'VE FORGOTTEN ONE PROFESSION ON YOUR LIST! YOU FORGOT TO ADD_ _ **POTTER!**_ "

Rip seemed to realise where he was, presumably because that was where the familiars were coming from. She directed the musket ball towards him, hoping to catch him by moving the ball around the area. It was fast and small…but Harry had caught Golden Snitches in Quidditch. Strengthening his hand with shadow magic, drawing upon the vampiric legacy within him that Alucard gave him through both genes and his blood…Harry leapt, snatching the musket ball out of the air.

It dug into his palm, breaking bones. It wriggled and writhed, pulling his arm hither and thither, the Cloak falling off him to reveal himself to Rip, who stared. "Impossible…"

Harry finally managed to stop the musket ball from moving. "Howzat?" he asked, as if he had caught a cricket ball. Then, gathering his strength, calling upon every ounce of power he had as a dhampir, he crushed the musket ball into metal powder. "I think you're out for a duck." The powder fell from his now bloodied hand, and he began dashing across the deck towards Rip, summoning up more familiars as he did so, his hand regenerating as he ran.

" _Scheisse!_ " Rip screamed, and fumbled with some sort of packet.

Harry guessed it was another musket ball, and pointed his wand (with his non-damaged hand) and yelled, "ACCIO, _MUSKET BALLS!_ " Packets tore their way from her suit, and from her hands, and flew at him. With a mental command, he had his familiars pick them up.

"You little brat!" Rip yelled. As he neared, she swung the musket at him to try and club him, but he dodged.

"Who're you calling little?" Harry retorted. "Anyway, would you have preferred my grandfather?"

"He was the one meant to be here!" Rip snapped. "Not you! Not some uppity magical English boy messiah!" She brought the musket down again, only for Harry to catch it. And he did so with ease. It was as if someone was trying to beat him with a cardboard tube…and he caught it with as much ease. With a snarl, he tore it from her grasp, leaving her only with the umbrella.

"I didn't ask to be the Boy Who Lived, or a dhampir. But it's something I have to live with."

Harry then heard a voice in his head, Bellatrix's, grudgingly saying, _Master, we have cleared this filthy Muggle ship of the vampires and the ghouls. They didn't put up much of a fight._

 _Got it. Come back here at once_. He had his familiars take Rip's arms, another taking the umbrella from her, and holding it over her head. "My orders are to destroy all enemy forces on this ship," Harry said. With a summoning spell, he got his Cloak and broom, dropped during his dealing with the musket ball, back to him. "That only leaves you. I think my grandfather's beginning to rub off on me. I certainly understand the appeal of turning an enemy into an ally. I won't kill you, Rip van Winkle. But I will make you my familiar. _Petrificus Totalus_."

With a cry, Rip went as stiff as a board, and toppled to the ground…only for Harry to catch her before she hit it. He felt his fangs distend. He looked at Rip, whose eyes looked terrified, and said, almost apologetically, "I'll make it quick. That's the difference between my grandfather and myself. He'd draw this out." With that, he bit down into her neck.

Her blood…it was ecstasy to drink down. He could feel her soul moving into the darkness within him, to join the ranks of his familiars. And then, her body faded, as did his other familiars, and her musket. He stood, blood streaked across his chin, picking up the Cloak and his broom.

Suddenly, a voice came from the speakers. The voice of the Major. " _Oh dear, I was hoping that Alucard would come to play. Oh well, I did plan for this contingency, Harry Potter. I am most sorry to see Rip van Winkle go, but I allowed her to die without immolation because she fought well. And you have fought well too. Of course, if it was just Alucard here, then I would have been all too happy to let him stay here. But, as you are a dhampir and not a vampire…well, I think we shouldn't let you stay alive. You have been a most worthy opponent, Harry Potter, and I shall see you and Rip van Winkle in Valhalla_. Auf Wiedersehen."

An explosion hurled Harry through the air. Only luck ensured he hung onto the Cloak and broom as he smashed into a wall, an impact that would have killed a human, but merely dazed Harry. He shook his head to clear it, even as explosions began tearing through the ship. With a groan, he touched the ring on his finger (with difficulty while fumbling with his Cloak and broom) and hissed, "The Bird…of Hermes..."

Then, an explosion tore through right beneath him just as the Portkey activated.

* * *

When Harry reappeared in Integra's office, dazed, bloodied, clutching the Cloak and his broom to himself, Hermione was on him, gently shoving a straw stuck in a blood bag to his lips. As he sucked on it, Integra asked, "Harry, what happened?"

As the blood went through his body, it cleared his mind. Harry got shakily to his feet. "Well, the mission was a success. Rip van Winkle is now my familiar, and her forces are dead. The Major booby-trapped the _Eagle_ , though, just in case someone other than Alucard made it on board and defeated his people. It's probably sinking as we speak."

Remus swore. "Then it's a good thing we got you the Portkey to get back here. Are you all right?"

"Better than I should be," Harry said. He shuddered. "I've brushed with Death so many times, I should start giving him high-fives as I pass(1)."

"We've removed one trap at least," Integra said. "Well done on your mission, Harry."

Schrödinger shook his head. "Even so, they will be sending their invasion force soon. We had better make preparations, _ja?_ "

Alucard nodded. "The Major will rue the day he planned this…"

 **CHAPTER 23 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **So, there you have it: Harry versus Rip van Winkle. I did this because Harry needs more badass scenes, frankly.**

 **This'll be the last chapter for a while, though. Even so, before I post this chapter, this fic has hit 150K views. It is the second most-viewed fic of mine, and is also the most viewed crossover of mine.**

 **Oh, and if you want more Harry Potter/Hellsing action, check out one of my newest fics, fresh from** ** _The Cauldron_** **.** ** _The Uncertainty Principle_** **features a female Harry shipped with Schrödinger. Give it a whirl if that tickles your fancy.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Space King Wizard Duck** **: Sort of. In terms of age, yes, but Harry's more of a big brother to Seras, partly because he's been there, done that.**

 **TJG1** **: While I won't be looking at that in this story, that's food for thought regardless.**

 **1\. I took this quote from** ** _Freeman's Mind_** **, an excellent satirical take on** ** _Half-Life_** **, with a playthrough narrated in character by Gordon Freeman.**


	25. Chapter 24: Raid

**CHAPTER 24:**

 **RAID**

Alexander Anderson grinned to himself. He hadn't felt this excited since the first time he had confronted Alucard, and that had certainly been the first time he had been excited about an opponent for ages. The manor he was about to raid belonged to the Malfoy family, and had been one of those the Potter boy had given him. He'd seen enough activity to see that, even if Voldemort wasn't there, there were plenty of Death Eaters using it as a base of operations. Which was fine by him. Going up against Voldemort directly might be troublesome, considering how powerful and vicious a wizard he was, but the Death Eaters, while dangerous, were nowhere near that vile thing's level.

Though Anderson wanted to see if whatever Voldemort used to achieve immortality made him vulnerable to blessed silver. Either way, if Voldemort was present, he was getting turned into a pincushion.

Anderson was standing with Yumiko and Heinkel, ready to kick arse and take names in the name of God. With a flourish, he flung a mass of bayonets through the air, each with a blessed page capable of destroying the wards around the property…and replacing them with their own. Iscariot-style anti-Apparition wards, anti-Portkey wards, hell, even the Floo wouldn't be usable. The Death Eaters would be the proverbial fish in a barrel, ready to be shot. Of course, they could shoot back (using spells rather than bullets), but that was part of the fun.

As the bayonets struck home, he plucked the glasses gently from Yumiko's face. "Goodnight, Yumiko. Top o' the mornin', Yumie."

The young Japanese nun grinned viciously, her darker, more violent personality firmly in control as she gripped her sword, ready to fight. "This is going to be fun."

"Just remember, Yumie, don't take unnecessary risks, or you'll be in Purgatory sooner than you need to be," Anderson said, his tone having a slight edge of rebuke to it. "We don't mess around here. These fools have forgotten that Voldemort is not God. He's not even the Devil. He's just a man with delusions of grandeur who, if what Potter claims is correct, looks more like his daddy had it off with a snake. And you know what the Good Book says about those who lie with beasts."

"The house is vast. Are we going for a lightning raid, or are we going to be methodical?" Heinkel asked.

"For this one, we're going to kill anyone in our way. Heinkel, you take the rear. I will be in front with Yumie. We're here mostly to try and kill Voldemort, and if we can't, then we take out as many of his followers as we can in a lightning raid, before we get the hell out of here. They've been complacent for too long. We want them to fear God, the Vatican, and Iscariot again."

Yumie grinned viciously (which, incidentally, was the only way Yumie could smile, well, most of the time). "I can't wait."

* * *

Yumie was the first to encounter a Death Eater, with two of them waiting near the front door. She sliced them apart with lightning-swift slashes from her sword, and then did the same to the door. "REPENT, YE HEATHENS, FOR DEATH HAS COME AMONGST YOU! AMEN!" Anderson roared, flinging a bayonet into another Death Eater.

"YOU CALL YOURSELF DEATH EATERS? WE'VE GOT A SMORGASBOARD OF DEATH FOR ALL OF YOU!" Yumie shrieked as she turned another victim into sashimi. "COME GET SOME!"

Heinkel was mostly silent, even as her guns roared loudly in the corridors of the mansion like the voice of God Himself. Oh, she did like to boast and brag in battle, but usually only when she was teamed with Yumie alone. Between Yumie and Anderson hamming it up, well, she couldn't compete. But in her head, she was reciting Ezekiel Chapter 25, Verse 17. It had come back into fashion recently in Iscariot, thanks to Quentin Tarantino and _Pulp Fiction_.

 _The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who in the name of charity and goodwill shepherds the weak through the valley of darkness, for he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know my name is the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon thee_.

In her head, she concluded, _Amen_ , as she blew the brains out of one Death Eater, spoiling a rather nice painting with the contents of his skull. Then again, she was surprised that he even had contents within his skull.

"CRUCIO!" screamed a figure up ahead. Yumie convulsed as the spell hit her, Anderson preoccupied with another Death Eater who fancied himself a swordsman, said Death Eater having taken one from a suit of armour lining the corridor.

"YUMIE!" Heinkel yelled, before firing at the Death Eater, who had just enough wit to dodge. However, the spell was broken.

Yumie, who was apparently on the verge of collapsing from the spell, shook her head, and then grinned. "Thank you, sir," she said to the Death Eater. "Would you like another?"

"Don't you mean, 'may I have another'?" the Death Eater asked, dumbfounded, not to mention unnerved by the sight of a sadomasochistic nun with a sword.

"Okay then!" Yumie grinned, before slashing the man's belly, causing his intestines to spill out in a pink and grey ropey mess.

"Yumie, you're enjoying yourself a little too much," Heinkel remarked as the Death Eater clutched desperately at his own bowels, trying to shove them back into his body like a string of oversized sausages.

"You didn't say that in the Middle East!"

"No, I mean leaving them alive just gives them enough of a chance to try and kill you," Heinkel said, shooting the eviscerated Death Eater through the head.

"It's psychological warfare!" Yumie snapped irritably.

"Even so," Heinkel said, "you can get the same effect by turning them into cold cuts of meat."

"I agree. Don't mess around, Yumie," Anderson said, walking up. "As much as I'd love to give them their justly-deserved punishment and strike the fear of God into these bastards, they'll get that in Hell. Remember, lightning raid."

* * *

The resistance soon petered out, and they soon made their way into a cellar. Good places to put things, cellars(1). And, as it turned out, it wasn't vile artifacts that was being kept in the cellars. It was vile deeds.

One room in the cellar was filled with a few ghouls, which were dispatched quickly. Another…had half a dozen people chained up, naked and degraded. Young women, and girls. It was pretty clear what they were here for. Either torture via magic…or rape. All of whom were pretty far gone.

"What do we do with them?" Heinkel asked.

After a moment, Anderson said, "We take them with us. We dump them at St Mungo's. Let the wizards deal with the rest of this mess. Yumie, Heinkel, stay with them. I'm going to quickly check the rest of the cellar, make sure we haven't got any other poor sods to rescue."

* * *

When he didn't find anyone else, beyond one more Death Eater whom he cut the head off, he returned to his comrades, though not before setting an incendiary device to burn Malfoy Manor to the ground. After removing the restraints of the women and girls, Anderson took out the holy tome he used to teleport. Opening it and flicking through the pages, he engaged the spell that bypassed just about every anti-Apparition ward out there.

They arrived within St Mungo's, to the general consternation of those in reception. "Oi!" Anderson snarled. "We've got six in dire need of medical treatment and mind healers! Dunno whether they're Muggles or Muggleborn, but if you don't get off your sorry arses and help them, then there'll be a reckoning, to be sure."

This seemed to galvanize the healers, who immediately began getting the Death Eaters' victims away. The receptionist, however, was staring at the blood dripping from Yumie's sword. Yumie, when she noticed where the receptionist was staring, said cheerfully, "Oh, don't worry, it's not mine, or of those who just left."

"Yumie, please do not scare the nice receptionist," Heinkel said with fond exasperation.

Anderson then looked at the receptionist. "Thank you for the prompt attention given to those poor sods. But if someone in authority comes along, tell them that Iscariot is collecting an overdue toll in blood. The innocent have nothing to fear, but the guilty…" And with that last bit left in the air, Anderson walked out of St Mungo's, followed by his comrades.

* * *

"A good raid, that," Anderson said as they sat in their hotel room. "A score of Death Eaters dead. Half a dozen souls saved, or at least taken from that hellhole. This oughta show up Alucard and Hellsing, not to mention the wizards."

"I'm surprised the wizards haven't sorted it out themselves," Heinkel said.

"Keep in mind that wizards tend to be rather set in their ways. And remember that Hitler managed to rise to power. Not unopposed, but he still managed to get to power to become the autocrat we know and loathe today. Voldemort also leads what is effectively a small but extremely effective terrorist group. And that old fool Dumbledore is a pacifist. He'd make a fine monk or priest, but not a good war leader. It's so many factors, not least of which that some people have got it into their head that Harry Potter is some kind of messiah. What a joke. There's only one messiah."

Yumiko (Yumie having been sent back to sleep) asked, "What did you think of him, Father?"

After a moment, Anderson said, "He's a good lad for a heretic, a wizard, and a dhampir. Got a good head on his shoulders, better than most wizards I've known. Fine line in snark, too. I wonder whether he got that from his grandfather. I won't go as far as to say he can face Voldemort, but frankly, he's better prepared than most. Probably due to the fact that that snake-faced bastard has been after him since he was a babe in arms."

"We didn't find Voldemort, though," Heinkel said with a scowl.

"No. But maybe it's just as well. While Voldemort's nowhere near Alucard's level, he's still a frighteningly powerful wizard. I'm not saying we don't have a chance, I'm just saying that if he caught us by surprise, we would have been screwed. He managed to kill my mentor, not to mention many of our operatives. But tonight means that we may have reduced his forces. Not enough, frankly, but he'll be pissed, and we've removed a base of operations for him. What's more, by reducing the threat to Harry, we gain a little credit with Hellsing, thus giving us some leeway. They're allowing us to operate in Britain on sufferance."

"Where do we raid next?" Heinkel asked.

"We'll shift hotels first. Death Eaters usually aren't savvy enough about mundane stuff, but they could get lucky. Then, we'll hit Macnair next. Walden Macnair is apparently one of the higher-ranking Death Eaters who managed to get off by pleading the Imperius. But those who do not truly repent of their sins will get a rude awakening."

The three members of Iscariot were in agreement. The Death Eaters were long overdue the wrath of God. They would show them why that was to be feared…

* * *

Bathory smirked to herself. The ritual was almost complete. The ritual that was intended to put Voldemort in his place. Namely, within Hell. The rightful place to those who dared harm her family.

The problem with the ritual was that it needed time to set up. Many rituals did, often requiring obscure and eldritch ingredients…or sometimes just ridiculous ones. One ritual she had performed a few decades ago needed curry powder, a gallon of fermented orange juice, and five pints of shark semen. The less said about how she obtained the latter, the better.

Still, time was very much of the essence. Millennium would be making their move before long, as were the Death Eaters. Hellsing, the Order of the Phoenix, Iscariot, all were making their own moves. Bathory wasn't one usually for direct action, not nowadays. She liked to remain in the shadows, doing her own thing. Even in the war to come, she mostly had but a single role: to take out one of the most dangerous pieces on the game table.

Voldemort was a rabid dog. A powerful rabid dog, true, but a rabid dog all the same. He had little élan and grace nowadays. Many of his followers, she was sure, followed him out of fear and agreement with his stance rather than respect. And while Machiavelli did once say that it was better to be feared than loved, what a lot of people forgot was that he did say that was only if one couldn't be both feared and loved.

Voldemort had murdered her child, and had come after her grandson time and time again. It took some time to rouse a sleeping beast like Bathory, who had spent a long time in the shadows, building an empire of darkness of her own, but rousing any sleeping beast was never a good idea. And soon, Voldemort would understand that, shortly before he died…

 **CHAPTER 24 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **I did say the next chapter was going to be a long time. Sorry. And it isn't about the start of the invasion. Instead, I thought to have a moment with Iscariot, with a Bathory scene to top it off. The next chapter, sadly,** ** _will_** **be a long time coming, because it** ** _will_** **deal with the invasion by Millennium. Sorry. You waited all this time for a new chapter, only for it not to be about the invasion.**

 **Incidentally, I have posted a lot of new chapters for various fics as part of this Christmas Update. Have a look at my profile, and see if any catch your eye.**

 **Review-answering time!** **Reishin Amara** **: He is not making a harem. Bellatrix is not someone you want to fuck with in any sense of the word, and Rip is little better. Though Harry will have Rip sing for him later.**

 **Captain James H00K** **: In all likelihood, no. I don't have anything planned for Zorin, except maybe what she has happen to her in canon. And yes, Hermione will be learning how to defend herself.**

 **javegar453** **: I was heavily influenced by** ** _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_** **, if only because it is fun and funny. Alucard, while suave and cool, is somewhat monolithic at times, and I think him having a more trolling demeanour like he does in the Abridged Series works, given how ancient he is, and how bored he must get.**

 **DarkElucidator** **: He did that when Ron and Hermione and the others came to the Hellsing estate earlier on in the fic.**

 **PikaMew1288** **: I don't know much about Altrouge's personality, so I cannot tell you, only that the universe would tremble.**

 **NakedFury** **: Dumbledore is often referred to as a professor, even by those not in Hogwarts, and many people not taught by a professor use that title if the person has it. Don't be so pedantic.**

 **kewlewk** **: Yes, I am aware of that.**

 **1\. This is what the Seventh Doctor tells Ace when they enter the cellar of Coal Hill School in** ** _Doctor Who: Remembrance of the Daleks_** **. However, they're soon chased out by a Dalek…which shows, for the first time, the ability to go up stairs.**


	26. Chapter 25: Cry Havoc, and Let Slip the

**CHAPTER 25:**

 **CRY HAVOC, AND LET SLIP THE DOGS OF WAR!**

All around London, members of the Order of the Phoenix cast various wards and charms. Meanwhile, Aurors, with varying degrees of reluctance, were preparing for the worst. It had only been Integra's audience with the Queen, and the Queen irately ordering Fudge to account for himself, that the soon-to-be-former Minister even considered obeying. After all, the Ministry still existed at the pleasure of the reigning monarch, Muggle or not, and Her Majesty was not amused, to use the clichéd phrase, at the antics of Fudge.

In any case, while Fudge seemed determined to deny the resurrection of Voldemort, he was willing to concede to the point that Millennium did pose a threat, so he reluctantly tasked Amelia Bones and Rufus Scrimgeour with preparing London for the onslaught. Fudge was hoping that, while he could see that his career as Minister was coming to an end, he might just be able to go out with a bang, helping coordinate a defence against an invasion.

The Muggle authorities were also on the alert, ready to evacuate the populace when the warning came. But there were traitors within the ranks that even Schrödinger didn't know about, and there were also the Death Eaters, noticing the activity, and, smarting from Iscariot's raids, made their own preparations. And between them, they would endeavour to ensure that when the storm arrived, nobody would be safe, crippling any attempts at evacuation and survival…

* * *

"It's the waiting that's the hardest part," Alucard remarked as he and Harry watched the twilight skies, packs of blood in hand like cartons of fruit juice. "The anticipation. People talk about the calm before the storm, but they don't know what they're talking about. That so-called calm is actually rife with tension. Take it from someone who has fought in more than his fair share of battles. I've led many men to battle back when I was a voivode, after all, and that was before I became a vampire."

"I'm sure it is. I remember when I was about to face off against a dragon last year," Harry said. "I was the last to go out. The waiting was the worst bit."

"And yet, you faced it. Harry, there are few things in the world that I'm proud of, especially in terms of legacies I've left the world. True, what old Bram Stoker wrote about me is not too bad, given how many nightmares I've inspired. But…if I had to choose a legacy that I am proud of, it'd be you. My line back from when I was still human has, well, it's pretty obscure outside Romania now. Even as a Dhampir, you're more of a man than most of these fools out here. Between man and monster, and yet, you've managed to find the right path between them. And you've helped Seras grow into a fine Draculina. And your own fledgling is a fine choice. I wholeheartedly approve of you starting a family with her."

Harry looked askance at Alucard. He knew that was another attempt at the vampire to troll him, but even so… "Hermione is not my fledgling. She's my friend."

"Yeah yeah, I get that. Anyway, my point is…Albus, the silly old fart…he goes on and on about how love is such a powerful force…but I'm not really capable of it. I haven't been for a long time. Eternity is relentless, eroding, wearing down the finer qualities of life, until cruelty and hedonism are what remains. I am a monster, and I probably will be for eternity, or until some lucky fucker manages to figure out a way to stop me for good. But for you, who are still capable of it…love has brought you an alliance of friends to stand with you. Love may not conquer all, and there are other things capable of uniting people for a common cause…but your friendship with others has strengthened you. All strengths are weaknesses. All of these things have double edged swords. But take it from an old monster who once thought such things were weaknesses…they are also strengths. And sometimes, you don't know what strengths you've got until you lose them. It took old Abe van Helsing to beat that into me…well, along with a stake. Dude could probably smack a rivet into a girder with just his fist, you know what I'm sayin'?"

Harry couldn't help but laugh, even if a bit uneasily. Here he was, on the roof of the Post Office Tower, with Count Dracula. Who happened to be his maternal grandfather. Oh, and they were waiting for the arrival of a Nazi remnant filled with vampires, with a werewolf and a couple of cyborgs thrown in. His life had taken a major turn for the surreal lately.

Hermione, Seras and the Wild Geese were all at the manor, while Sirius and Remus had accompanied Integra to the Ministry of Defence. Dumbledore was coordinating the Order from 12 Grimmauld Place. However, Harry and Alucard, especially the latter, were to be the vanguard when the invasion arrived. Schrödinger thought they would have already started making their way here, but as of yet, there were no reports from the MoD.

Suddenly, there was a trill from Alucard's mobile phone, and he answered it. "Master," he said, forgoing any jokes.

" _Alucard, we have a problem. A number of Penwood's underlings had turned traitor to Millennium_ ," Integra's voice spoke out. " _They had been deliberately intercepting radar reports and hacking feeds. They tried attacking Penwood and I, but Black and Lupin managed to deal with them. But we now don't have much time to start the evacuation. Radar contacts show the Millennium fleet inbound._ "

As if on cue, they could hear explosions in the distance. Harry looked around, seeing a couple of fireballs. "Master, there are explosions in the streets. And what's more, if I didn't know any better, they were magical in origin."

" _Damn! Black and Lupin just received Patronuses from Dumbledore! The Death Eaters have begun assaults at key points in London!_ " Integra snarled, her deportment slipping. " _Alucard…I need you and Harry to deal with the Death Eaters and try and delay the Millennium fleet for as long as you can! You know what I want you to do._ "

Alucard stiffened, before nodding. "I presume I am to keep collateral damage to an absolute minimum?"

" _Obviously. As for the Vatican, they have decided, albeit reluctantly, to send over those from Iscariot. Anderson, Yumiko and Heinkel have been recalled to London to assist. As long as they keep to killing Millennium and the Death Eaters, don't attack them. In any case, Alucard…_ _ **Release Control Art Restriction Level Zero.**_ "

Alucard closed his eyes, exhaling a breath that seemed to be a strange, ethereal blue, like a cold, cold spirit. "Thank you, my Master. I hope there is some way you can watch this Hell you have unleashed on our enemies. It ought to be… _spectacular_." Hanging up, he began saying, in an echoing, flanging voice, " _The Bird of Hermes is my name, eating my wings to keep me tame._ "

Tendrils of darkness erupted around him, darkness with an inner eldritch glow, twilight shadows, like the sunset, only more sickly, more magical, and more malign. They began spreading down the PO Tower, and into the streets, while the shadows surrounded Alucard.

Harry closed his own eyes, and called upon his familiars. While he had plenty donated by his grandfather, it was two in particular that he brought out: Bellatrix Lestrange, and Rip van Winkle. The others, he sent to accompany Alucard's own army.

"Wow," came the light tones of Schrödinger as he appeared next to them. "So, this is the full power of Dracula unleashed. I must admit, I'm actually shivering a little in fear."

The glowing shadows surrounding Alucard faded, revealing a different and yet familiar figure. Tall, imposing, dressed in old-fashioned plate armour, but elaborately, if darkly, decorated. The face was clearly Alucard's, but had a moustache and a sparse beard, and a somewhat tired, melancholy air to it. While Alucard's earlier forms had a certain sense of age to them, despite their youthfulness, this form, the one that was closest to his mien in life as Vlad the Impaler, seemed to have a sense of ancientness about it, like the weight of over five centuries of life and unlife weighed down upon him. And there was also a solemnity, a lugubrious that, while present in Alucard normally, was even more present now.

 _So this is what you really look like_ , Harry thought to himself. Not that he didn't know already: some of the familiars he had absorbed through Alucard's donated blood held memories of Alucard, back when he was a particularly vicious voivode known as Vlad Tepes. But to actually see it in person, and combining that with the aura of an ancient, powerful vampire…it was awe-inspiring. That was an overly-used appellation…but it definitely applied here…

* * *

From where he stood in the streets with Heinkel and Yumiko, Anderson watched the hordes beginning to spread across the streets from the PO Tower. It was a horde of thousands.

 _Kazans…Janissaries…even your own Wallachian armies_ , Anderson thought in horror. _How many lives have you consumed? No wonder it's virtually impossible to kill you. Maxwell seemed tempted to launch a crusade from the rumours I heard, taking advantage of this little clusterfuck between Millennium, Hellsing, the Ministry and the Death Eaters…thank God that got shot down by His Holiness the Pope. Personally, I don't give a damn if some Protestants here got chomped on, but going all Arnaud Amalric is not going to fly(_ _1)_ _. And I'll be damned if I let these Nazis and these warlocks win anyway_.

"Father Anderson!" called out a voice. Anderson looked at a small group of men and women in cassocks on the nearby rooftops. "We're here now! Your orders?"

"Any piece of shit Death Eaters or Nazi vampires, we exterminate with prejudice. If you feel the urge to save some civilians, do so, if only to piss off the Round Table. Right. What are you?!"

The gathered members of Iscariot roared, in unison, " _We are Iscariot, the zealot Judas!_ "

"And what do you hold in your right hand?!"

" _Daggers and poison!_ "

"And what do you hold in your left hand?!"

" _Thirty silver pieces and a rope!_ "

"Then what are we?! As Apostles, and yet not. As the faithful, and yet not. As apostates, and yet not. As traitors, and yet not! _We are the Disciples of Death!_ " Anderson roared, his words echoed by his comrades. "We only bow and ask forgiveness from God! We defeat the enemies in the darkness! Our dagger flashes in the light of the moon, and we taint the dinner of our foes with poison! _We are assassins! The assassin Judas!_ And when our time comes, we shall cast our thirty pieces at the altar, _and send ourselves to perdition with our rope!_ And in Hell, we shall do battle with its demon armies for eternity! **_AMEN!_** "

After that was over and done with, one of the members came forth, and presented Anderson with a case. "Father Anderson, Section Three, Matthew, has gifted this relic for you to use against Alucard."

Anderson accepted the case gratefully. "Thank you. I'll probably need it. But for now, let's concentrate on the greater apostates. Alucard can wait…"

* * *

"Harry," Alucard…no, _Dracula_ , said quietly, his voice thick with a Romanian accent. "I am going to divide my army in two. I will shape a familiar into my own image to lead the attack on the Millennium airships with those familiars I have who have weaponry capable of taking them down. I want you to help me here. I cannot help but shake a feeling that Millennium has a contingency. Send Rip van Winkle with the army headed to the airships: her bullets should be invaluable in taking them down."

"Yes, sir," Harry said, before looking at Rip. "You got that?"

" _Ja_ , my Master, I've got it," Rip said, saluting, albeit with a scowl on her face. "Tinker, tailor, soldier, sailor, my bullet will punish all without distinction."

"Hey, you can sing while you do so, right?" Harry asked. "Give the battle a soundtrack or something? Would that cheer you up?"

She just continued scowling. Schrödinger handed Alucard a rope. "Herr Lupin summoned me earlier, and gave me a Portkey to a place just in front of the airships' path. Use this to take your familiars to the airships. The activation phrase is 'Sitting ducks'."

Dracula extruded another shadow, one that turned into Luke Valentine and Walter, the latter of whom had become younger, perhaps in his twenties. Luke shifted his appearance until he resembled Dracula. A few other familiars appeared, including Alhambra and a few wizards. "You know what to do," Dracula said. "Go forth…and destroy."

His familiars nodded, and then took the rope. The transformed Luke said, "Sitting ducks," before they vanished.

* * *

On the _Deus ex Machina_ , the flagship of the Millennium fleet, the Major heard one of the technicians yell, " _Magic surge detected! Signature consistent with Portkey use! Spotters…have found them! Group seems to include First Lieutenant van Winkle, as well as operatives Luke Valentine and Walter C Dornez! And they are gathered around…is that Alucard?_ "

The Major looked at the image put up on the main screen. Yes, it did resemble Alucard, in medieval plate armour and with facial hair. _So, you reveal yourself, Vlad Tepes…or rather Dracula. The Son of the Dragon. But so small a force? Hmm, well, with any luck, we may have distracted you from our main goal. And even if you still are in London, and this is your attempt to delay us…you won't succeed. I will leave my mark on London…a scorch mark as it burns to ashes as a funeral pyre for us all…even you. And don't think that because Schrödinger has defected to your side means we cannot vanquish you_.

He prepared to give an order, even as his former comrades, now Alucard's familiars, began shooting down the airship fleet. They had done substantial research into certain magical apparatus, and while this couldn't be used over long distances for such large objects as zeppelins (so they couldn't use those to cross the Atlantic), a short distance was, theoretically, fine. Like, say, the distance roughly between Devon and London. It was an insane gamble, but the Major never claimed to be sane anyway. And it would burn out the objects in question…but they should work.

" _Let's give London a surprise party, complete with balloons, shall we? Activate the zeppelin Portkeys!_ "

* * *

The noise was like the rumble of thunder overhead. It was the sound air made when suddenly displaced by a small but substantial fleet of zeppelins, all marked with the swastika. "Recall!" Dracula snapped, and the familiars he had sent to stop the fleet appeared, once more clinging to the rope.

"How the hell did they get here?!" Harry yelped.

"At a guess, Portkeys," Dracula said. "You normally cannot use them to transport such large objects…but those fools must have been able to use them, even if only over a relatively short distance. Shooting them down here will only cause more destruction than we need. London is still being evacuated. Schrödinger. Tell Dumbledore and the Ministry we cannot afford to tarry! We need London evacuated _now!_ "

* * *

"No! You can't be him!"

"Fool. I have enjoyed watching you in denial over my return, but all good things come to an end. Save for my glorious reign. AVADA KEDAVRA!"

The end of Cornelius Fudge's life in a strobe of green light was what greeted Schrödinger when he arrived at one of the field offices. Fudge, in a fit of stupidity, in order to be seen as doing something, had come out in the field to oversee the evacuation and warding. It was a fatal mistake for him and the small retinue of Aurors he had with him. His eyes were filled with denial even as his lifeless body sagged to the ground in front of Voldemort and a squad of Death Eaters in a sort of perverse post-mortem supplication.

Before Schrödinger could act, though, Voldemort saw him, and smiled. "IMPERIO!" The Unforgivable hit Schrödinger with the force of a truck at highway speed, and even the necklace, meant to shield him from it, only did so much. He could only struggle against Voldemort's spell, resist, but not overwhelm it. He couldn't even teleport away.

"You have given your masters some considerable trouble, you disobedient animal," Voldemort said as he approached. "A good animal knows their place." He saw the necklace glowing around Schrödinger's neck, and snatched it away. The force of the Imperius increased, and Schrödinger felt his will to resist being locked away. "It's past time that you fulfilled your duty, Schrödinger. It is time for you to die, and take that abomination Alucard with you…"

 **CHAPTER 25 ANNOTATIONS:**

 **Holy shit. And how's that for a bombshell? Still, it had to be one hell of a bombshell, considering how long you guys have been waiting for a new chapter. I am sorry about that, but I didn't really know how I was going to continue this story until recently, plus a loss of interest in** ** _Hellsing_** **. I had a few ideas here and there, but nothing substantial. Still, it's been about a year (long enough for two episodes of** ** _Hellsing Ultimate Abridged_** **to be released). I hope it was somewhat worth the wait. And hopefully, updates may be a little faster now that I've gotten over that hump, though I can't make promises.**

 **Still, as of this writing, this story ranks third of Harry Potter and** ** _Hellsing_** **crossovers in terms of favourites (and second most-favourited story I have written, though that may become first when this chapter is published), second in terms of follows (and it's the most-followed story I have posted here), and second in terms of reviews (and also as such on my stories, just shy of 600 as of writing). It ranks in the top 10 of all of the above in** ** _Hellsing_** **crossovers in general across all of those factors. Now that's bloody impressive, and I have you guys to thank.**

 **Anyway, before I get to the reviews, I should do some shameless plugging. This chapter is being published as part of a larger update as an early Christmas present for you guys. As this story has the largest readership of those I am updating, I'm going to point them out.**

 **This story may have spent a long time before updating, but it is far from the longest story to wait before an update. That dubious honour belongs to my** ** _Final Fantasy XII_** **crossover** ** _Nitimur in Vetitum_** **, which hasn't been updated (before now) since July…2016. It is being updated alongside my other crossover between the Potterverse and** ** _Final Fantasy XII, Ghost of Dalmasca_** **, which also recently experienced a revival after a hiatus.**

 **I have also posted chapters for my** ** _Overlord_** **(the light novel/anime series, not the games, though a story with the latter is a potential future fic) crossovers, the Potterverse story** ** _Yield to the Darkness_** **and the** ** _Red vs Blue_** **story** ** _Xenagogy for Belligerent AIs and Dungeon Denizens_** **. Plus, there's also my first Harry Potter/** ** _RWBY_** **crossover, a WBWL and female Harry story called** ** _Neopolitan and the Goblet of Fire_** **, where a female Harry is actually everyone's favourite mute ice-cream themed right hand girl to Roman Torchwick. Oh, and another WBWL story set during Year 4: my** ** _Sekirei_** **crossover** ** _Wings of the Forsaken_** **.**

 **We also have Nasuverse stories in** ** _Gorgon and Thanatos_** **, and** ** _Light the Blue Touch Paper and Run Like Hell_** **, and my** ** _Yu-Gi-Oh!_** **crossover** ** _Ignis Aurum Probat_** **. Last, but certainly not least, we have the initial chapters of a long-awaited** ** _Darkstalkers_** **crossover,** ** _Never Tear Us Apart_** **.**

 **1\. Arnaud Amalric was the man infamous for supposedly coining the phrase 'Kill them all, let God sort them out'. This apparently happened prior to the Massacre of Béziers in 1209, as part of the Crusade against the Cathars of France.**


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